Trademark Portfolio Management: Brand Protection & Enforcement

Summary

This practice note provides guidance on creating, maintaining, enforcing, and defending a portfolio of trademarks and service marks (hereinafter, "trademark" or "mark"). Marks are effectively the legal term or concept commonly understood as a "brand" in the business world. Part I discusses the importance and evaluation of a trademark portfolio, including the need for regular trademark audits. Parts II-IV discuss discrete aspects of trademark portfolio management, with Part II providing an overview of trademark clearance searches and registration in the context of portfolio management, Part III discussing steps to address trademark infringement, counterfeiting, and other unauthorized uses of trademarks in your portfolio, and Part IV covering trademark maintenance, renewal, and recordation of portfolio marks.