Trade marks

A trade mark is a sign or ‘badge of origin’ which is used to distinguish the goods and services of one supplier from those supplied by others. A trade mark can include words, logos, colours, slogans, and three-dimensional shapes, or a combination of any of these.

Trade marks are used as a marketing tools and they enable customers to instantly recognise the products or services of a particular trader. Registered Trade marks provide monopoly rights and are denoted by “®”, they need to be applied for, but once granted can last indefinitely upon payment of renewal fees. “TM’’ denotes unregistered trade marks, which do not need to be applied for but confer less protection to their owner.

Know how and Confidential Information

Confidential Information is information that is secret. If disclosure is made it should only be after a confidentiality agreement with suitable protective terms is put in place.

Know-how (also known as expertise/trade secrets) can include techniques, experimental methods, technical information, processes and protocols, computer software, formulae, discoveries, prototypes, materials, results, drawings, models, data of all types and calculations. Know-how is only of value as long as it remains secret or confidential i.e. not in the public domain. This can be achieved either by not telling any third party about the know-how or only disclosing such details under terms of confidentiality.