The United States is a party to the Madrid Protocol, an international treaty simplifying and centralizing the process for registering trademarks on an international basis. This treaty allows owners of U.S. trademark...more
The general rule under U.S. trademark law is that the first to use a trademark in U.S. commerce has priority in the mark over other "would-be" users of the same, or confusingly similar, mark. This applies in both common law...more
A trademark is a word, name, or symbol used to identify and distinguish a seller’s product from those of others. A trademark is part of a company’s brand. It is the embodiment of the company’s reputation. Over time, a...more
July 27, 2019 marked the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Madrid Protocol – the centralized system for registering and managing trademarks worldwide. The Madrid system is administered by the International Bureau of the...more
On December 25th, the Madrid Protocol entered into force for the African nation of Malawi, the 102nd member of the Madrid System. Malawians can now protect their trademarks within the system by filing a single application...more
On September 25th, 2018, Malawi became the 102nd member of the Madrid Protocol, which will enter into force on December 25th, 2018. ...more
On September 25th, 2018, the African nation of Malawi became the 102nd member of the Madrid Protocol. The treaty will enter into force in Malawi on December 25th, 2018, allowing Malawians to protect their trademarks within...more
Successful brands from the United States, and particularly those branded by U.S. celebrities, are often received with similar enthusiasm in other parts of the world. Recently, YEEZY shoes designed by Kanye West made their...more