If you run a business, you can't afford to ignore trademarks. Join Managing Attorney Craig Morris of the Office of the Commissioner for Trademarks at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for an informative discussion geared toward start-ups and new entrepreneurs. Register early for this free program.
This program begins by, identifying how trademarks, domain names, and business name registrations all differ. You will learn why selecting a strong mark is important, why doing a complete search to avoid a likelihood of confusion is critical, and whether or not you should use an attorney. The discussion will also address what may happen if another trademark owner believes they have stronger rights in a mark and sends a "cease-and-desist" letter.
In addition, session one also covers application filing issues and how to avoid "scams" by companies not affiliated with the USPTO. The session concludes with a discussion of what happens after registration of a mark and the owner's responsibility to enforce the registration rights.
This event is presented by the Art, Architecture and Engineering Library at the University of Michigan.