Global Trademark Search & Clearance
ArentFox Schiff has a long history of helping creative and legal departments work together to develop new brands for both US and international markets.
Our lawyers offer flexible options for clearing and assessing the risks involved with new brands. For domestic clearance, we begin with preliminary screening searches to identify any obvious potential conflicts. The best time for preliminary searches is when multiple brands are still under consideration, before marketing campaigns have been developed, and before the company has become committed to one brand.
For brands that clear the preliminary searches, we offer comprehensive trademark availability searches and assessments, which may include follow-up Internet investigations to learn more about potential obstacles revealed in the searches. Worldwide or regional searches are treated similarly and often involve the assistance of foreign counsel.
Although it is impossible to eliminate all risks associated with the adoption of new names and brands, appropriate trademark searching can help identify potential conflicts and generate ideas for modifying marketing plans to minimize risk. Minimal investments in trademark searching can often save hundreds of thousands of dollars in litigation costs and lost inventory. Making ArentFox Schiff part of one’s brand development team early can help save time, money, and effort.