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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Experienced on-demand general counsel for small to mid-sized companies not yet ready for full-time general counsel. 

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Contact  : jon@thebournefirm.com  (  303.765.2436
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A quick guide to trademark protection. 
Trademarks can be a critical part of a company's proprietary property. Protecting them doesn't have to be hard. Here's a quick guide to some key actions: 
  • Be arbitrary and fanciful. Legal protection of distinctive marks is strongest. The most distinctive marks are arbitrary or fanciful. They have no relationship to the services or goods for which they are used, other than that created by marketing. 

  • Avoid likely confusion. If someone or something else owns a similar mark, you may have a trademark infringement problem. Trademark infringement occurs when a mark is used in a way that is likely to cause confusion. A simple Google search, combined with a search of the database at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, will help to avoid this problem.

  • Register it simply. Register your trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The online form is relatively simple. If in doubt, seek quick and efficient legal assistance.

  • Use it pragmatically. Best practices for using a trademark generally are to (a) distinguish it (e.g., boldfacing), (b) add ® if it is registered, (c) not use it as a verb or noun, (d) use it as an adjective, (e) never pluralize it, (f) never use it as a possessive, and (g) require attribution if it is used by others.

  • Maintain the mark.  Don't forget the deadlines for future filings to maintain your trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Calendar them all. And have a backup reminder system just in case. 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.
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