Is Your Business Name Violating Trademark Laws?

Your business name is a valuable asset. Before investing money in marketing your business, you should make an investment in a trademark search.

You’ve started your new business and made a significant investment in promoting your new business. You may have even run a name check with the Secretary of State and were told that the name you chose for your new business is available for use in Illinois. The future looks bright. To save money, you may have even set up the business yourself and incorporated using one of the cheap services offered to new businesses.

Then, it hits the fan. You get a letter from a patent and trademark law firm telling you that your new business name is so similar to their clients’ name that you are violating trademark laws. You are threatened with a lawsuit for violation of federal and state trademark laws unless you immediately change the name of your business.

Sound like a nightmare? Well, it really gets ugly when you get sued for violation of federal and state trademark laws and your attorney tells you that you have no defense and it will cost you thousands to change your name, your logo, your signs and all of your marketing materials. Your initial investment is gone and all you have left is a lawsuit and a liability.

It can happen to you. This scenario could have been avoided if you had run a simple trademark search when you first set up your business. You would have quickly learned if other, similar businesses were using similar names. The cost of such a search is relatively modest and will allow you the opportunity to research the availability of your prospective business name.

Your business name is a valuable asset and should be protected by making a modest investment early in the start up of your business venture. Not only does it protect you from liability for trademark infringement, but it also protects your business name from infringement by others.

Hire and consult with professional business lawyers with experience in protecting your business interests including your trademarks, copyrights and other trade secrets. The lawyers of the local law firm of Bellas & Wachowski Attorneys at Law have the background and business experience to help you wind your way thru the mine field of legal problems every business faces. For more information about legal issues which affect your business, contact George Bellas at 847.823.9030 Ext: 219 or george@bellas-wachowski.com.