Legal protection for a logo?

[Rick Dolishny]

As far as your company name you have to get a lawyer to do a search and secure it in the markets you need it secured (ie: US, North America, Europe, etc). If you’re really serious incorporate your company name but if you’re “basically” spending what you earn most accountants will discourage incorporation.

Your logo is your trademark so that’s automatically copyrighted, but the onus is on you to protect it. Again, lawyers.

Or you can do a Google search and if nothing comes up register your domain and immediately get a tax number (or whatever in your province/state) and you’re set in a basic way.

If someone challenges you, it’s dismissed fairly quickly if you can provide any docs that support you registered the name.

—
Rick Dolishny
Discrete Editors COW Leader
http://www.thecreativeprocess.ca

[Stan Welks]

So if I understand correctly, a series of steps might go like this:

1. Select a name
2. Get a lawyer to search and secure it in various markets
3. Register the domain
4. Develop a logo and it will automatically be copyrighted (no lawyers involved)

Questions:
1.) You said:
“Your logo is your trademark so that’s automatically copyrighted, but the onus is on you to protect it.”

What do you mean by “protect it?” Do you mean protect if someone challenges you or is there some proactive strategy?

2.) You said:
“…and immediately get a tax number (or whatever in your province/state) and you’re set in a basic way. ”

What is a tax number? Why would I look into this?

3.) If someone challenges you, it’s dismissed fairly quickly if you can provide any docs that support you registered the name.

Do you mean domain name, or registering it through a lawyer?

Thanks!!!!

[Rick Dolishny]

[stan welks] “1.) You said:
“Your logo is your trademark so that’s automatically copyrighted, but the onus is on you to protect it.”

What do you mean by “protect it?” Do you mean protect if someone challenges you or is there some proactive strategy?

Yes

2.) You said:
“…and immediately get a tax number (or whatever in your province/state) and you’re set in a basic way. ”

What is a tax number? Why would I look into this?

As I said, depends on your jurisdiction.

3.) If someone challenges you, it’s dismissed fairly quickly if you can provide any docs that support you registered the name.

Do you mean domain name, or registering it through a lawyer?”

Both.

—
Rick Dolishny
Discrete Editors COW Leader
http://www.thecreativeprocess.ca

[Ron Lindeboom]

[stan welks] “How do I now trademark/copyright the logo and domain name to protect it from being used by anyone else? Or someone else claiming the name is theirs.”

Get a trademark attorney. Pay the few hundred dollars to do a search the right way. Register it in the categories that your attorney recommends.

Sure, you can do it yourself but I don’t recommend it.

Be ready to spend money to protect your name. If you aren’t or you can’t, plan on having it highjacked/stolen when it becomes valuable.

Best regards,

Ron Lindeboom

Remember: Burt Bacharach lied. What the world really needs now is an undo button.