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Online Trademark Infringement

Is another website or competitor using your trademark unlawfully? Walton Law Firm can help. Online trademark infringement is a huge problem, and we understand how to deal with it.

Common Scenario: A website owner invests considerable time and money building a recognizable brand. The website owner registers his brand name and logo as a formal trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Consumers now rely on this brand name when purchasing products online. One day the website owner finds that his competitor is using a confusingly similar brand name and logo to sell similar products or services. This is trademark infringement, and it happens on the Internet every day.

Fortunately, trademark owners have options. An Internet law attorney at Walton Law Firm can guide you through these options.

Some of the ways online trademark infringement may occur:

• Competitor unlawfully uses your trademark in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.
• Competitor uses your trademark in hidden text or meta tags to redirect visitors from search engines.
• Competitor's website looks confusingly similar to yours, resulting in "trade dress" infringement.

How we deal with online trademark infringement:

Sending Cease and Desist (C&D) letters

• A C&D letter is a formal letter sent to a trademark infringer demanding that he stop the infringing activity. Sending a C&D letter is a cost-effective way to notify a copyright infringer that he is breaking the law. And when a C&D letter is sent by a law firm focused on Internet trademark law, it sends a clear message to the infringer that you are serious.

Negotiating licenses and financial settlements

• We often conduct settlement negotiations with a trademark infringer before filing a lawsuit. Negotiating a license or financial settlement is usually much faster and less expensive than litigating a trademark infringement case in court.

Filing trademark infringement lawsuits

• In some cases a fair settlement can not be reached with a trademark infringer without filing a lawsuit. When the situation calls for it, we won’t hesitate to take it to court.