How do I legally protect my business name and logo?

You can legally protect your business name and logo by registering them as a trademark. Trademark registration gives you exclusive rights to use the mark for your goods or services and the ability to take legal action against infringers.

Key points

• A trademark protects brand identifiers like names, logos, and slogans used in trade.
• Registration grants exclusive rights and makes enforcement against copycats far easier.
• You should first conduct a trademark search to ensure the mark is available.
• Trademarks are registered under specific classes based on your goods or services.
• Even unregistered marks get some protection through the common-law remedy of passing off, but registration is far stronger.

Relevant law

Trademarks are governed by the Trade Marks Act, 1999 and the Trade Marks Rules, 2017. Registration is handled by the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks. Unregistered marks may be protected through the tort of passing off.

What you can do

• Conduct a trademark search on the official IP India portal (ipindia.gov.in).
• File a trademark application in the appropriate class for your name and logo.
• Use the ™ symbol while the application is pending and ® once registered.
• Consult an intellectual property lawyer in Jabalpur to file and enforce your trademark.