Trademark Registration

A trademark is a visual symbol, which may be a word, name, device, label or numeral used by a business to distinguish its goods or services from other similar products or services originating from a different business. A trademark is a protectable asset under Indian laws and regulations. To protect a trademark from being copied by others, the inventor of the word or symbol must apply for trademark registration with the Office of Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks. The process for trademark registration has various steps, and it is essential to hire an Expert for trademark filing to maximise chances of registration.Before beginning the process of filing a trademark application, the applicant needs to understand some basic concepts relating to trademark filing.

Trademark Class: The World Intellectual Property Office or WIPO has organised all goods and services under 45 different classes. Hence, when a trademark application is submitted – it must fall under one or more class. For example, the trademark application for a bike called “FastSpring” would be filed under Class 12, which pertains to vehicles. If the mark is registered under Class 12, then no other person would be eligible to register an identical or similar mark under the same class. On the other hand, if an applicant makes a trademark application for “FastSpring” under a different class, if there are no conflicts – then the mark would be registered under the different class. In case an applicants product or service spans across classes, then multiple classes can be included in the trademark application at an additional cost.

Jurisdiction: For a trademark to be legally protected in India, it must be registered in India. Similarly, just because a mark is registered in India will not ensure that the trademark is protected in other countries across the world. If the trademark owner plans to take a brand international, then multiple trademark applications in the respective countries must be filed.

On registration of the mark, the R symbol can be used next to the mark to put the public on notice that the mark is a registered trademark. For the trademark legal protection will be valid for a period of ten years. Renewal of the trademark can be done before expirty without any penalty for a further ten years by the owner.

In case of infringement of a registered trademark, the trademark owner can get legal remedy. A Court may grant relief for trademark infringement or for passing off (eg: counterfeit goods). Trademark infringement relief can be provided through an injunction, damages or an account of profits, together with or without any order for the deliver-up of the infringing labels and marks for destruction or erasure.