Trademark: Legal Care for Your Business & Product Name (Paperback)

by Stephen Elias Attorney (Author), Richard Stim Attorney Nolo Legal Editor (Author)
Key Phrases: will writer, secondary meaning rule, direct hit search, Principal Register, United States, Date Palm Inn (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Names, logos, and other unique corporate identifying marks are the true calling cards of any business, and the third edition of Trademark: Legal Care for Your Business & Product Name, by attorneys Kate McGrath and Stephen Elias, explains in an easy-to-understand fashion how to choose these vital assets properly and then protect them diligently. Revised to reflect changes that have come about because of the advent of cyberspace, it offers clear instructions on initial selections, searches to ensure availability, state and federal registration procedures, correct use, and adjudication of any disputes that result. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Review
"Excellent step-by-step instructions for registering a mark, written in plain English with clear examples." -- Library Journal

"Get tips to help you choose and protect a name, logo and other unique items that identify your company." -- Houston Chronicle

"Searching for a winning business or product name? Or have a distinctive logo or slogan to protect with a trademark or service mark? You will find sound advice in this book." -- San Francisco Examiner

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: NOLO; 8 edition (September 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1413306993
• ISBN-13: 978-1413306996
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #181,627 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable resource for folks starting a new business., July 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Trademark : Legal Care for Your Business & Product Name, 4th Ed (Paperback)

If I'd read this book before starting my business several years ago, I would have saved thousands of dollars invested in a company name (letterheads, business cards, brochures, advertising, etc.) I discovered was really not mine to use. For those who are serious about building a business in today's global, electronic marketplace, it's absolutely essential the name of your business be strong,well-protected and NOT THE LEGAL PROPERTY OF SOMEONE ELSE. This book will give you the basic knowledge to get off on the right foot. And it will save you huge legal fees today and in the future.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Introduction for the Non-Professional, November 9, 2005

By	John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Trademark: Legal Care for Your Business & Product Name (Paperback)

This book is an excellent introduction to the concepts of trademarks. It's in its seventh edition, so it's been around long enough to get errors worked out and up to date enough to reflect the latest legal changes.

This book is a good introduction to trademark law. It seems to fit into two categories. If you're working for a big company (or a company that wants to grow big) use this for its information value and then go get professional trademark help from a specialist attorney.

If you're a little company like me, this is probably all that you need. For a dozen years I've owned the domain name [...]. I got a nasty letter from the attorney for Doubleday Book Clubs saying that I was infringing on their domain name of [...] and that they wanted me to stop. I wrote back to them and said that I wasn't infringing because I didn't run a book club, my pages didn't look at all like theirs, etc. I never heard from them again.

Mr. Elias, if you happen to read this, in your next edition, I'd like to see you expand Chapter 2 on domain names. They haven't replaced trademarks, but are becomming more and more important.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A VERY HANDY REFRENCE AND OVERVIEW A GOOD STARTING POINT., October 16, 2005

By	Mark Trent (Corpus Christi, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trademark: Legal Care for Your Business & Product Name (Paperback)

To my knowledge, the best, simple, handy reference for Trademark available.

It's very useful in planning and getting an overview.

I give the book a 4 because anyone who can take the complexities and vagaries of legalese and make a useful book deserves it. I can not give them a 5 because they did not (and to be fair perhaps could not) address more of the vagaries of conflicting use and claims of trademark - perhaps that is another book.

Very good overall, you won't be dissatisfied especially if used in conjunction with further state and web research.