Intellectual Property – Copyright / Patent / Trademark/ Designs
Trade mark, patent and design registrations in Singapore and overseas, oppositions, and advice when your rights are infringed.
General information on trade marks and intellectual property in Singapore, not legal advice. For advice on your own circumstances, speak with one of our lawyers.
In our words
We further specialize in intellectual property laws such as copyright issues, trademark and patent registration, and registered designs applications.
We specialise in trademark and design registrations, and also in corporate, commercial and property matters.
What we handle
- Trademark, patent and design registrations
- Advising on infringement of intellectual property rights and other issues
- International trademark registration and trademark opposition
- International patent registration
- Industrial design protection
- Protection of Confidential Information and Trade Secrets
Fees
Fees depend on the scope of the matter. Ask us for a quote.
| Initial consultationLooking at your mark or design and where you need protection. | On enquiry |
|---|---|
| Singapore trade mark applicationSearching, filing and seeing the application through to registration. | On enquiry |
| International applicationProtecting your mark in other countries, including through the Madrid Protocol. | On enquiry |
| Opposition or infringementOpposing a conflicting mark, or acting when your rights are infringed. | On enquiry |
Where to start
Call either office with a short outline of your matter, and one of our partners will advise on the next step.
Common questions
Do I need to register my trade mark in Singapore?
Registration is not compulsory, and a business that has built up a reputation can sometimes stop copycats under the law of passing off. But passing off is hard to prove. A registered trade mark gives you a statutory right under the Trade Marks Act that is far easier to enforce, and an asset you can license or sell.
Read the full guide →What makes a trade mark registrable in Singapore?
The mark must be a sign capable of distinguishing your goods or services from other traders'. It must also not clash with earlier marks or rights, such as an identical or confusingly similar mark for similar goods, or an earlier user's goodwill. Common words and names are harder to register and to enforce.
Read the full guide →How do I choose the classes and goods or services for my trade mark?
Singapore sorts goods and services into numbered classes under the international Nice Classification, and your application must list what you will use the mark for in each class. The list sets the limits of your protection, so it should match your actual and planned business: too narrow leaves gaps, too broad invites objections and challenges.
Read the full guide →How do you register a trade mark in Singapore?
You search for conflicting marks, then apply to IPOS with a clear picture of the mark and a list of the goods or services it will cover. IPOS examines the application, publishes it so that others can oppose, and issues a certificate of registration if no opposition succeeds.
Read the full guide →What happens if someone opposes my trade mark application?
After IPOS accepts an application it is published, and anyone has two months to oppose it. An opposition is a contested case before IPOS, usually based on an earlier mark, a well-known mark or passing off. The applicant can defend it, and the Registrar decides whether the mark is registered.
Read the full guide →How can I protect my trade mark outside Singapore?
Singapore is part of the Madrid Protocol, so a Singapore applicant can file one international application through IPOS and choose the countries it wants protection in. Each country then examines the application under its own law. For the first five years, the international registration depends on the Singapore application or registration it was based on.
Read the full guide →How long does a Singapore trade mark registration last?
A registration lasts ten years and can be renewed for further ten-year periods without limit. But it must also be used: if a mark is not genuinely used in Singapore for five years after registration, others can apply to have it revoked.
Read the full guide →What can I do if someone uses my trade mark?
If your mark is registered, unauthorised use of an identical mark, or of a similar mark that is likely to confuse customers, can be infringement under the Trade Marks Act. If it is not registered, you may have a claim in passing off. Most disputes begin with a lawyer's letter of demand, and the court can grant injunctions, damages or an account of profits.
Read the full guide →Still have a question? Ask us directly.
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