Trademark prosecution and oppositions

Trademark portfolio management

Some services we are offering to our clients for portfolio management are:

• - trademark clearance searches
• - French, Community and Madrid system trademark applications
• - responses to objections to registration
• - computerized management of filings and renewals
• - watch services for trademarks and company names
• - recordals of assignments and licenses

Trademark Oppositions

We conduct trademark opposition procedures:

• - before the French National Trademark Office (INPI) with respect to French trade marks,
• - before the EUIPO in Alicante with respect to European Union trade marks.

We negotiate coexistence agreements and settlements during the cooling off period of the trademark opposition procedure before the EUIPO.

During the contentious phase, we develop detailed legal arguments based on case law of the European Court of Justice.

We handle appeals before the EUIPO Boards of Appeals.

If necessary, we take the case:

• - before the Court of First Instance in Luxembourg, and
• - on appeal before the European Court of Justice,

Our presence in Alicante, near the European Union trademark Office, allows us to:

• - thoroughly understand and master the trademark oppositions jurisprudence
• - know personally many of the EUIPO examiners and members of the Boards of Appeal.

Trademark Monitoring

We monitor trademarks in France, Europe and throughout the world.

Our monitoring reports include detailed advices on the possibilities and opportunities for oppositions and other legal and administrative actions.

Trademark & Company Name searches

We provide:

• - searches among identical or partly identical marks,
• - searches among similar marks.

With all search results, we include:

• - a detailed legal opinion on the risks of the planned project and the possibility of successfully registering the mark,
• - if necessary we negotiate with third-party owners of prior rights in order to conclude coexistence agreements permitting the unrestricted use of the mark in the future.