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London’s Leading Trademark Lawyers, Established in 1995

Briffa has been protecting the intellectual property of many organisations, personalities and celebrities for over twenty-five years. Our trademark filing and watching services sit alongside our licensing practice and other specialist IP protection and exploitation services, ensuring that you receive the necessary assistance to grow your business and trademark portfolio.

A trademark gives you the exclusive right to use your brand across every service or product you provide. We can review your potential trademarks before you invest time and money in registering them. We will help you assess whether it makes sense to do so, looking at all your available options, the cost and how it works.

Our trademark lawyers can represent you at the UK Intellectual Property Office, the EU Intellectual Property Office and, via our network of like-minded, results-focused associates, anywhere else in the world.

Get In Touch

For a FREE, no-obligation quote just fill in the form below and someone from our team will be in touch within one working day to discuss your requirements.

Client Testimonial

“I approached Briffa for an initial appointment about trademarking the name of my web application business. I met with Anastasia who helped me to understand the process very clearly and comprehensively. We covered a lot of information relevant to the specific name I had chosen as well as the general process of trademarking a name and other things to consider when starting a web application business.

The meeting was extremely helpful and informative, reassuring me on my initial concerns, but at the same time bringing up important areas I had not considered previously. Along with the comprehensive follow-up I received it has set me up very well for the challenges ahead.”

– Tim Benger, Trade Mark Services Client

How Can We Help?

Trademark Registrations

To successfully register a trademark, you’ll first need to check that nobody else is already using it for the same or similar goods and services. It’s also essential to avoid trademarking words that have become a common language in your industry. UK trade mark applications can take about 4-6 months, while European Union Trade Mark (EUTM) applications, which cover the whole of the EU (including the UK), can take six months.

Our highly skilled trademark solicitors can undertake searches on your behalf, advise on the best options for protecting your brand, and then support you through the registration process. To read more about our registration services, click here

Trademark Infringements

It is vital to act quickly when a trademark infringement occurs. Given you have spent time and money registering your brand or product, the best remedy is to prevent or stop the infringement early. This means staying alert and being proactive in enforcing your legal rights, collecting evidence and going down the injunction route if necessary.

Our team has extensive experience and a strong reputation for resolving disputes. For further information on how we can protect you from infringement, click here

Trademark Protection

Briffa offers a fixed-free trademark protection service called BrandProtect. For payment of just £190, including VAT per mark per year, you can protect all your brands and gain access to advice on any trademark dispute covered by the BrandProtect service, plus a fighting fund of up to £100,000. Simply call the BrandProtect helpline any time you need legal advice and support. You can make as many calls to the BrandProtect helpline as you need — it’s all included in the annual fee.

Passing Off Claims

A used trademark with some goodwill attached to it is protected in some countries under the common law of passing off. This law comes into play when a competitor deliberately seeks to benefit by confusing a buyer into thinking that the goods or services on sale have some connection with your product or service, resulting in your business suffering loss and damage. Our solicitors provide legal advice on passing off issues, claims, or disputes.

Trademark Opposition Proceedings

Whether you’ve found your application opposed or wish to oppose another party’s registration because it infringes on a registered trademark you already own, our highly experienced team of trademark lawyers are on hand to act quickly on your behalf. With expertise in the UK and international trademark opposition proceedings, we can take care of the details so you can focus on running your business.

For more information about how we can help with an opposition claim, click here 

Why Choose Briffa?

We have registered, protected and resolved trademark legal disputes since 1995
We offer a free consultation to discuss your case before any fixed fee quotes are given
We have offices in the UK, the Republic of Ireland and Malta
We offer an industry leading service with short turnaround times and business-focused advice

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a trademark?

A trademark is a signifier of origin. Every business in the world has a name, and this is how consumers distinguish you from your competition. Owning that name is vital, and registering it as a trademark is the best way to protect it.

But trademarks don’t just safeguard words. They can also monopolise logos or slogans and, in some cases, product shapes and colours. For this reason, a trademark is a robust intellectual property right and something no business can do without.

Why are trademarks important?

There are three main reasons to register a trademark, which apply to every business. The first is obvious; registering a trademark allows you to stop third parties from using the same (or similar) name for the same (or similar) goods and services.

Second, going through the trademark application process is the best way to ensure that your brand name doesn’t infringe on someone else’s registered brand (which can lead to significant legal issues in the future).

Last but certainly not least, a trade mark is a significant commercial asset. It is often the first thing an investor or eventual purchaser of your business will look for as it’s a clear indication that your brand name is more than just “known” and is, in fact, “owned”.

How long does it take to register a trademark?

The length of time it takes to register a trademark depends on where you are applying. In the UK, applications take approximately 3-4 months to register, whereas, in the EU, it’s more like 4-6 months.

The key, however, is to get your application underway. As soon as you do, you’ll have a filing date and a trademark number. This flag in the ground will be vital should competitors register a similar brand name after you.

What should I do if someone infringes my trademark?

If you believe another individual or company is using your trademark (or something similar), then you should try to collect some evidence, with screenshots and website links being best. Next, you should speak to a specialist trademark solicitor. If that’s us, we will assess the details of the case and advise on the best course of action. The aim should always be to end infringement most quickly and cost-effectively.

Trademark Case Study

Often, it requires some creative thinking for a business to get around a trademark problem. One of our clients wanted to secure a logo mark but found there was already a mark on the register that would block their trade mark from being successfully registered.

Sometimes, it’s possible to enter into a co-existence agreement with the owner of the blocking mark, so each side knows how the other will develop their business and avoid overlapping one another. However, in situations like our client’s case, the blocking mark was so close to our client’s mark that a co-existence agreement was impossible.

To resolve the issue, we searched for similar marks predating the blocking trade mark. We were looking for any mark similar to our client’s intended mark but owned by an individual or company that may consider selling to our client.

We eventually found a mark fitting the bill and approached the owner. We agreed on a deal suitable to both sides, and the owner even handed over the domain name associated with the mark as an extra.

With a creative, outside-the-box approach to solving the problem, our client secured a trademark they were happy with.

Meet Our Team

Looking for a trademark solicitor? Meet our team below.

William Miles

William Miles

Partner
Eamon Chawke

Éamon Chawke

Partner
Hasnath Ahmed

Hasnath Ahemd

Associate
Anastasia Troshkova

Anastasia Troshkova

Solicitor

Get In Touch

For a FREE, no-obligation quote just fill in the form below and someone from our team will be in touch within one working day to discuss your requirements.

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Key Practice Areas

Briffa’s highly trained team can assist you with a wide range of legal issues, from fixed-fee trade mark and design applications to dealing with IP disputes and drafting contracts. Contact us to discuss your requirements and arrange your free legal assessment.

Trade Marks

Copyright

IP Disputes

Design Rights

Confidential Information

IP Contracts

Patents

Data Protection

Database Rights

Image Rights

Commercial Law

Corporate Law

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What Our Clients Say

Briffa has served hundreds of satisfied clients across a broad range of sectors since our creation in 1995. We’re proud to be leading intellectual property solicitors, but don’t just take our word for it
— here’s what our clients have to say.

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