What is a Trademark ?

A Trademark is like a copyright. The trademarks protect an owner's work from unscrupulous business practices. Unlike copyrights, trademarks protect a product's identity from being copied. A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or combination of them which identifies the source and quality of a business product. The most effective way to secure nationwide ownership to a trademark is to register it with the Patent and Trademark Office. You can also register your trademark with the state or states in which you use your trademark. The benefits of state registration vary from state to state, but at a minimum, state registration puts others on notice that you are claiming rights to a mark in a certain area.