O.K., that may be overstating things a bit, but big changes are on the horizon for trademarks in the EU.  As background: member nations of the EU maintain their own trademark regulations and registration systems, and are also part of a separate EU body called the “Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market” (“OHIM”), which is responsible for the administration, registration and maintenance of “Community Trademarks,” which cover all of the EU. The changes generally seek to harmonize the trademark laws of the various EU members and OHIM (which is, thankfully, being re-named the “European Union Intellectual Property Office”), with […]

As a trademark lawyer, I’ve worked with hundreds of clients and potential clients who are going through their first ever experience with trademark protection.  It is very common for such clients to have the same questions and I’m sure there are many more people who may never end up working with a trademark lawyer but who would benefit from hearing some answers to these questions. Below are give of the most common trademark-related questions that I’m asked by people who are new to trademark protection. Do I really need to search and protect/register my trademark? I offer people a very […]