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Trademark & Copyright
Primer for
Business Owners
Wei Wei Jeang, Esq.
469.878.8643
www.GeneralCounselHub.com
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
• Any “word, name, symbol, or device (shape, color,
smell, sound), or combinations thereof”
• Identifies the source of the product or service
• Commercial identity and goodwill & reputation
• Trademark rights established based on use
• Can be your most valuable asset
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
Common Law Rights
• Actual use
• Geographic scope of
actual use
Federal Registration
• Actual use or intent-to-
use
• Geographic scope is
nationwide
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
• Use TM for trademark not federally registered
• Use ® for federally registered trademark
• Examples:
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
• Highly advisable to register your trademarks with
USPTO
• Company name
• Product name
• Logo
• Slogan
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
• Federal Registration
• Legal Presumption of Ownership
• Legal Presumption of Exclusive Right to Use Mark
• Public Notice of Ownership
• Recordation with U.S. Customs & Border Protection
• Can Sue Infringer in Federal Court
• Nationwide Geographical Scope
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
• Domain Name ≠ Federal Trademark Registration
• Business Name Registration with State ≠
Federal Trademark Registration
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
• Pick unique trademark
• Must not be confusingly similar to another mark
• Sound alike, look alike, same commercial impression
for similar goods/services
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
• Pick strong trademark
• Must not be Descriptive or Generic
Fanciful or
ArbitrarySuggestiveDescriptiveGeneric
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
• Generic: MILK for dairy-based drink
• Descriptive: BRIGHT for flashlight
Fanciful or
ArbitrarySuggestiveDescriptiveGeneric
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
• Suggestive: OASIS for cold beverage
• Fanciful: XEROX, CISCO, MICROSOFT
• Arbitrary: APPLE, BLACKBERRY, GAP
Fanciful or
ArbitrarySuggestiveDescriptiveGeneric
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
• Common Problems:
• Descriptive
• No search before picking trademark
• Improper usage
• Use © with trademarks
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
• Proper Usage:
• Use different font or capitalize to set apart
• Use as adjective
• Don’t use as noun or verb
• Don’t pluralize
• Don’t use mark in the possessive
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Trademark
• YES:
• Buy TIDE detergent
• The whitening power of Tide detergent
• Make a copy on the XEROX copier
• Buy 3 COCA-COLA soft drinks
• NO:
• Buy TIDE
• TIDE’s whitening
power
• Xerox this report
• Buy 3 Coca-Colas
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Copyright
• Protect a work of authorship
• Examples: photograph, drawing, painting,
lyrics, music recording, video/movie, literary
text, computer code, screen layout, user
manual
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Copyright
• Two requirements:
1. Fixed in a tangible medium
2. Original
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Copyright
• Ownership is in the author by default
• “Hiring” a photographer to take photos
• “Hiring” writer to write product description
• “Hiring” computer programmer to create code
• Owning a copy ≠ owning copyright
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Copyright
• By default:
• Author is employee => Employer owns
• Author is independent contractor => Author
owns
• Must have agreement with independent
contractor that spells out ownership!
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Copyright
• Be aware of using images taken off the Internet
• Best to design or shoot your own graphics and images and not take short cuts
• Amazon.com will remove listing upon complaint from copyright owner
• Possible statutory damages of up to $150,000 per violation
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Copyright
• Ownership rights:
1. Make copies
2. Create a derivative work
3. Sell, distribute, transmit copy
4. Perform, display in public
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Copyright
• Common law copyright
• Federally registered copyright
• Presumption of valid copyright
• Public notice
• Statutory damages
• Required before lawsuit
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Copyright
• Consider registering
1. Photographs used in product listing
2. Photographs and graphics used on packaging
3. Product description
4. User manual
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Copyright
• Federal copyright registration
• Simple form
• $35 or $55 filing fee (online)
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Copyright
• Copyright notice not required but good idea.
• © 2015 Adam Smith
• Copyright 2015 Acme Company
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.
Combat Counterfeit Product
• Purchase counterfeit product
• Take pictures of packaging & product
• Capture screenshots of unauthorized use of
trademarks and copyrighted materials
• File complaint with [email protected] and
• Get a lawyer involved
Copyright 2015 Wei Wei Jeang. All rights reserved.