Various services may contact you offering to "protect" or "register" your trademark for a fee ranging from $400-$2,000. These companies give the impression of being related to a governmental trademark organization and imply that they can facilitate registration or protection of your mark. Many of such organizations will provide an invoice hoping that an unsuspecting trademark owner will pay the invoiced amount.

We do not recommend responding to these offers. Registration with a nongovernmental database offers no legal protection. These are private companies soliciting questionable trademark "watching" or "registration" services from trademark owners. Should you receive any such invoices, either simply discard them or discuss them with your Dentons contact. Companies known to send such questionable offers include:

  • Company for Publication and Information Anstalt
  • Globus Edition S.L. of Austria
  • Institut of Commerce for Industry, Trade Commerce
  • International Patent & Trademark Organization
  • IP Save
  • Trademark Guide on the Internet
  • Trademark Safeguard
  • United States Trademark Protection Agency
  • World Organization for Trademarks

 For more information regarding unsolicited requests for payment of fees click here.

Dentons is the world's first polycentric global law firm. A top 20 firm on the Acritas 2015 Global Elite Brand Index, the Firm is committed to challenging the status quo in delivering consistent and uncompromising quality and value in new and inventive ways. Driven to provide clients a competitive edge, and connected to the communities where its clients want to do business, Dentons knows that understanding local cultures is crucial to successfully completing a deal, resolving a dispute or solving a business challenge. Now the world's largest law firm, Dentons' global team builds agile, tailored solutions to meet the local, national and global needs of private and public clients of any size in more than 125 locations serving 50-plus countries. www.dentons.com.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.