What is a trademark?
A trademark is a valuable form of intellectual property. Trademarks are distinctive indicators that all businesses or legal entities need in order to identify their products or services to their consumers. A trademark enables a company to distinguish its particular products or services from others offered by other businesses. It may contain a word, a name, phrase, logo, design, symbol, image or a combination of two of these things or more.
Why are trademarks important?
Trademarks first of all, provide protection to the owner of the mark by ensuring the exclusive right to use it when identifying goods or services. The owner can also authorize another to use the trademark in return for payment. Trademarks can become a very effective marketing tool for new business owners who wish to announce their presence in the market and establish themselves as a reputable company. Moreover, trademarks can help you increase your exposure in the marketplace and set yourself apart from your competitors. If you have registered your trademark, you can sue another company for trademark infringement if they use it without authorized permission. Lastly, trademarks are intangible assets that can drastically increase the value of your business in case of resale.
Trademarks in the UAE?
When you register your trademark in the UAE, you will be registering it in all the seven states of Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain.
How to register your trademark?
DBA Business Advisors specializes in all the legal requirements related to business start-ups. Our in-house lawyers and legal professionals have the necessary level of expertise in order to execute the trademark registration process correctly and to ensure clients receive a successful result, which exceeds their expectations. Some tips on how to register your trade mark in UAE:
STEP 1: DBA Business Advisors provide comprehensive research to make sure that there is no conflict associated with your proposed trademark. We will also design the best approach to implementing your trademark, to increase the chance of a smooth, problem-free process.
STEP 2: DBA Business Advisors work closely with every client and the UAE Trademarks Office, to ensure your trademark is correctly lodged accordingly to goods and services you offer to customers. We ensure you apply within the correct trademark class and your trademark represents the correct goods or service which are vitally important to your company. Application fees are payable at this specific moment.
STEP 3: The UAE trademarks office checks for generic trademarks and informs us on the matter if any problems arise. Once your application is submitted, your trademark will be advertised in official trademark journals. You must have paid your publication fees prior to this. According to new rules, applicants will have a 30 day deadline to pay publication fees and if they fail to do so, the trademark application will lapse.
STEP 4: The registration process will begin if there are no objections after the publication. The time required to register a trademark is determined by the number of obstacles present at the application and publication stages. On average it takes around 18-24 months to complete the process of the trademark registration.
Once you decide to register your trademark, do not hesitate to begin your application. DBA Business Advisors will be happy to assist you at every step throughout the trademark registration process. The registration period lasts for ten years, after which time, it may be renewed for a subsequent ten years.
For more information, please contact the DBA Business Advisors legal department at 043419701 or 800776 (Toll FREE) or visit our website here
Written by Regina Lamour MA, MBA - Management Consultant
DBA Business Advisors - A Division of Paralegal Services International
Suite No. 12, The Iridium, Al Barsha, Near Mall of Emirates, Dubai, U.A.E.
Phone: +971 4 341 9701
Fax: +971 4 341 9702
Mobile: +971 508580306
Website:www.dubaibusinessadvisors.com