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> Experience > Our practices > IP and data protection > Trademarks

Trademark lawyers

Businesses and consumers need to be protected from copyright infringement. With trademarks lawyers based in the US, Asia and Europe, we have helped organizations to create, register, protect and strengthen thousands of trademarks and service marks.

Trademarks are important not just to businesses, which need to protect their brands, but to consumers, who need to trust the origin of the goods and services they buy.

Our global trademarks team, with lawyers in the US, Europe, and Asia, has assisted in the protection of many thousands of trademarks that help to avoid consumer confusion or infringement. We work on behalf of a wide range of organizations, from commercial brands to public institutions. Withers' global reach enables us to help wherever you are – or would like to be.
 
We provide a full range of services from the creation of a mark through to brand growth. Our experience enables us to advise not just on the registration process and available options, such as trademarks, service marks and trade dress, but also on protecting and strengthening the mark.

We regularly assist clients with:
  • Strategic advice regarding name selection, clearance and registrability in both domestic and international markets
  • Prioritizing registration strategies and budgeting for trademark portfolio development and growth
  • Prosecuting trademark applications and maintaining registrations
  • Managing contested proceedings before trademark offices, such as office actions, trademark oppositions, and invalidation proceedings
  • Representing clients in trademark infringement litigation matters
  • Structuring and negotiating commercial agreements involving trademarks, such as license agreements, distribution agreements and collaboration agreements
  • Developing and delivering training programs for clients' employees regarding trademarks and other intellectual property matters
  • Assisting clients in brand enforcement efforts, such as creating programs to address issues with counterfeit goods and rogue websites

We will keep you updated at every stage, from conducting clearance searches to prosecuting your application and liaising with trademark agencies on your behalf until the application is approved. After your trademark is registered, we will calendar any renewal deadlines to ensure that your registration is properly maintained.

"Clearing your marks early is essential," advises Deborah Greaves in our Los Angeles office. Business owners invest substantially in their branding, including marking the packaging and products, along with advertising. It is difficult, both financially and emotionally, to later learn that the brand name is not available, or even worse, that another party already owns a registration for the mark in which the new business has heavily invested.

Thinking globally

We advise our clients to think globally by conducting searches in different markets before applying to register a trademark for the first time. If you wish to file applications in several countries simultaneously, your Withers lawyer is well-positioned to ensure your international applications are filed in a timely manner by leveraging the advantages of international trademark treaties, through our international offices, or through our network of highly skilled international trademark attorneys.

Enforcement of our clients' trademark rights is taken seriously. We help our clients with civil enforcement by obtaining injunctive relief and/or litigating against infringers to recover civil damages. We also help our clients with criminal enforcement against counterfeiters by developing brand enforcement training materials for law enforcement use, partnering with private investigators and law enforcement agencies to execute criminal seizures and prosecuting counterfeiters, assisting with on-line take downs, and structuring internal brand enforcement programs for our clients with prolific infringement and counterfeiting issues.

Track record

A household name with over a hundred years history in Singapore

Acted for a household name with over a hundred years history in Singapore in a High Court suit for passing off and breach of contract, as well as trade mark invalidation and opposition proceedings at the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore. We successfully secured an interim injunction at the High Court restraining their former business partner and affiliated entities from using our client's Chinese name on similar services.

A Japanese conglomerate in the food industry

Acted for a Japanese conglomerate in the food industry and successfully seized over a thousand counterfeit items in a collaborative raid with the Singapore Police Force.

A leading consumer internet company in Southeast Asia

Acting for a leading consumer internet company in Southeast Asia in the protection of their trade marks and the management of their trade mark portfolio worldwide.

Owner and operator of the prestigious educational institution

Acting for the owner and operator of the prestigious educational institution with campuses in Singapore, India, Japan, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates, in the worldwide protection of their trade marks and in various trade mark enforcement proceedings in India.

South East Asia's leading manufacturer and marketers of personal care products

Acting for one of South East Asia's leading manufacturer and marketers of personal care products in the worldwide protection of their trade marks and on over 50 contentious trade mark proceedings across Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

International beer manufacturer

Advised an international beer manufacturer on trademark infringement in Singapore.

Italian wine manufacturer

Managed the trademark portfolio of a leading Italian wine manufacturer.

Trademark injunction

Obtaining a unique form of injunction in relation to a claim for passing off, whereby the defendant was forbidden from using their own trade name because it had been coupled with our client's well-known brand.

US technology company

Advised in the acquisition by a US technology company of software and intellectual property assets from an embedded software company in Moscow and related technology service agreements with an affiliated entity in British Virgin Islands.

LG Electronics Inc

Our Singapore team successfully acted for LG Electronics Inc. in a trade mark opposition filed by headphones manufacturer Beats Electronics, LLC against the registration of the mark 'QuadBeat' before the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, securing a favourable decision.

A household name with over a hundred years history in Singapore

Acted for a household name with over a hundred years history in Singapore in a High Court suit for passing off and breach of contract, as well as trade mark invalidation and opposition proceedings at the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore. We successfully secured an interim injunction at the High Court restraining their former business partner and affiliated entities from using our client's Chinese name on similar services.

A Japanese conglomerate in the food industry

Acted for a Japanese conglomerate in the food industry and successfully seized over a thousand counterfeit items in a collaborative raid with the Singapore Police Force.

A leading consumer internet company in Southeast Asia

Acting for a leading consumer internet company in Southeast Asia in the protection of their trade marks and the management of their trade mark portfolio worldwide.

Owner and operator of the prestigious educational institution

Acting for the owner and operator of the prestigious educational institution with campuses in Singapore, India, Japan, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates, in the worldwide protection of their trade marks and in various trade mark enforcement proceedings in India.

South East Asia's leading manufacturer and marketers of personal care products

Acting for one of South East Asia's leading manufacturer and marketers of personal care products in the worldwide protection of their trade marks and on over 50 contentious trade mark proceedings across Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

International beer manufacturer

Advised an international beer manufacturer on trademark infringement in Singapore.

LG Electronics Inc

Our Singapore team successfully acted for LG Electronics Inc. in a trade mark opposition filed by headphones manufacturer Beats Electronics, LLC against the registration of the mark 'QuadBeat' before the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, securing a favourable decision.

Italian wine manufacturer

Managed the trademark portfolio of a leading Italian wine manufacturer.

Owner and operator of the prestigious educational institution

Acting for the owner and operator of the prestigious educational institution with campuses in Singapore, India, Japan, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates, in the worldwide protection of their trade marks and in various trade mark enforcement proceedings in India.

US technology company

Advised in the acquisition by a US technology company of software and intellectual property assets from an embedded software company in Moscow and related technology service agreements with an affiliated entity in British Virgin Islands.

US technology company

Advised in the acquisition by a US technology company of software and intellectual property assets from an embedded software company in Moscow and related technology service agreements with an affiliated entity in British Virgin Islands.

Our team

Kenneth Mullen

Kenneth Mullen

Partner | London

Kenneth Mullen

Partner | London

IP, commercial and technology

Sarah Barker

Sarah Barker

Partner | Head of art law | London

Sarah Barker

Partner | Head of art law | London

Art law

Jacopo Liguori

Jacopo Liguori

Partner | Milan

Jacopo Liguori

Partner | Milan

IP, commercial and technology

Richard Penfold

Richard Penfold

Partner | London

Richard Penfold

Partner | London

IP, commercial and technology

Gina Bibby

Gina Bibby

Partner | Los Angeles

Gina Bibby

Partner | Los Angeles

IP, commercial and technology

Jonathan Kok

Jonathan Kok

Partner | Singapore

Jonathan Kok

Partner | Singapore

Technology and intellectual property

Mabel Lui

Mabel Lui

Head of Greater China Commercial | Hong Kong

Mabel Lui

Head of Greater China Commercial | Hong Kong

Corporate

Kirsten Doherty

Kirsten Doherty

Consultant | London

Kirsten Doherty

Consultant | London

Trademarks

Insight

Typical clients and industries include

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Life sciences and healthcare

Life sciences are in the limelight and our diverse team from a range of scientific and industry backgrounds is highly experienced in getting innovative therapies, drugs and devices to market. Find Out More
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Luxury brands

Our global team has helped many of the world's finest luxury brands build their businesses and maintain their credibility long-term. Find Out More
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Public companies

Publicly traded companies face many challenges. As a full-service, truly international law firm we offer support with day-to-day operations as well as advice on exceptional situations. Find Out More

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