Business name protection |
Every company name should be unique. There are provisions in the Companies Acts, 1963 to 2006, to prevent the use of a name or names which are undesirable or would require a company to change its name if it is identical or similar to an existing name on the Register of Companies. There are similar types of restrictions regarding the use of identical or similar names as domain names or trade marks or as part of a trade mark. Therefore it is important to ensure that a name will not be objected to and if necessary protected, either in the form of a domain name or a trade mark.
We can advise on the necessary procedures to protect a name and can register a trade mark, whether as a national, European Union or an International Trade Mark pursuant to the Madrid Protocol. We can also arrange for a name watching service to ensure that once a name is registered, there are no attempts by any person to infringe the registration. We can also undertake opposition proceedings to challenge an application for registration of a trade mark, which may be considered similar to an existing registered trade mark or a well known business name.
