Trademarks

We advise on a broad range of trademark matters, including:

• Trademark clearance and availability searches — assessing existing registrations and potential conflicts before you invest in a brand.
• Trademark registration — preparing and filing applications and managing the registration process before the Department of Industry.
• International and foreign-brand protection — advising overseas businesses on securing and maintaining trademark rights.
• Classification and specification strategy — identifying the appropriate classes and drafting specifications that reflect both current and anticipated commercial use.
• Priority claims — advising on convention priority and coordinating the documentation required to preserve filing priority.
• Trademark prosecution — responding to examination issues and guiding applications through to registration.
• Opposition proceedings — protecting clients against conflicting applications and defending applications that have been opposed.
• Trademark renewals — monitoring renewal deadlines and maintaining continuous protection of registered marks.
• Assignments and recordals — documenting changes in ownership, corporate identity, address and other portfolio information.
• Licensing and commercialisation — advising on the lawful commercial use and exploitation of trademark rights.
• Cancellation and non-use matters — advising on challenges to existing registrations and defending marks against cancellation.
• Infringement and enforcement — developing proportionate strategies against unauthorised use, counterfeit goods and confusingly similar marks.
• Market and digital surveillance — monitoring physical and online marketplaces for potentially infringing, counterfeit or unauthorised use of trademarks.
• Take-down notices — preparing and issuing notices to online platforms, marketplaces and other intermediaries seeking removal of infringing or counterfeit content.
• Well-known and famous marks — advising on the protection and enforcement of marks with significant market recognition and reputation.
• Court proceedings — representing clients in trademark disputes before the High Courts and Supreme Court where litigation becomes necessary.
• Border and anti-counterfeiting measures — coordinating practical enforcement measures involving Customs and relevant authorities.
• Traditional and non-traditional trademarks — advising on the protection and registration of conventional marks as well as distinctive non-traditional forms of branding, where legally protectable.
• Collective trademarks — advising associations and organisations on the protection, registration and use of collective marks.
• Certification marks — advising on the protection, registration and administration of marks used to certify the quality, characteristics or standards of goods or services.