A trademark is only protected in the country in which it was filed. If you are concerned with protecting your trademark in multiple countries, you will need to file for ownership of the mark in each country. This process can be difficult and very time consuming, which is where experienced California trademark attorneys can help.

Filing an International Trademark for European Countries

If you are interested in filing with the European countries, you may file a trademark under the Madrid Protocol which governs trademarks in most of the major European countries. This allows one application to cover multiple countries.

Filing an International Trademark for Other Countries

Most countries have individual trademark offices and regulations that need to be dealt with to file your international trademark. To make this process easier, your California trademark attorneys can assist you through contact with the International Trademark Association. This organization helps regulate and report on trademarks across the globe, helping with access to each country’s trademark office and application process.

Your California trademark attorneys should have ample experience helping clients secure their trademark rights in multiple countries at once. Having this past experience helps speed up the application process and allows your legal team to catch potential problems before they can delay your application.

Convention Priority for Filing an International Trademark

Most countries operate under the Paris Convention which allows a trademark filed in one country to share the effective date with all other international filings. This means as long as the trademark was filed in the U.S. within 6 months of the international application, the trademark will share the same effective date as the U.S. trademark. 

The benefit of this structure is that the trademark expiration will fall on the same date for all countries, making renewal easier. A translated copy of the U.S. application may be required to achieve convention priority.

Hiring California Trademark Attorneys

Filing an international trademark can help protect your mark in multiple countries where it may be used. For expert help through the paperwork and documentation of your trademark filing, California trademark attorneys are the ones to turn to.

The California trademark attorneys at the Adli Law Group P.C. have formed lasting relationships with businesses across Los Angeles County and around the globe. Contact us today for experienced help with protecting your trademarks – 800-817-2949.