What's in a name? Whether for an individual person, company, a product, a service or an event, a name is used to convey various messages: functions, values, ambitions or an identity.

When the financial success of your business is linked to how any names (or to use the legal word, trade marks) are used and viewed, it is important that you protect your property.

Shepherd and Wedderburn's trade mark registration service uses our in-house case management system to take clients through the registration process efficiently and quickly.

The key stages in the registration process are:

• Initial searches made to establish registrability of mark
• Choosing 'Use Classes' (what should it cover?) in which mark is to be registered
• Drafting of specification detailing 'Use Classes' for application
• Application made
• Application examined and any objections, citations made and hopefully resolved
• If the application is successful then the mark is published in the Trade Mark Journal
• The mark is then advertised for three months to allow for the public to object.
• If no objections then a Certificate of Registration is issued which is valid for 10 years

A registration will take on average 6 months from the initial application. The charging structure for trade mark registration is:

• Initial Patent Office 'Advice and Registrability Search' to establish registrabillity of mark; Patent Office fee = £94.00 for 3 Use Classes; £11.75 per additional Use Class
  
• UK Patent Office application fee = £200 for application and first Use Class; £50 per additional Use Class
• Our fee for the UK application process £850-£1100 where application is straightforward, however our fee will reflect the complexity of the application.

We also carry out EU and International applications, please contact Rachel Payne for more information.

For those who need registrations undertaken on a frequent or volume basis we also have special packages available.

For more information or to use our trade mark registration service please contact Rachel Payne.