Does trademark protection extend outside the United States?

By itself, a trademark registered in the United States does not extend to protection in countries outside of the U.S. However, further filing procedures may be followed to extend this protection in a selected country. An “International Application” is supplied by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and offers trademark protection outside the U.S. through the authority of the International Bureau of the World Property Intellectual Organization. By filing the International Application, a trademark can be registered in any country that has joined the Madrid Protocol.

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The content of this article is not intended to be, and does not constitute, legal advice and does not create attorney-client privilege. Consult the attorney of your choice before embarking on any legal matter or any document preparation/filing.

Dr. Thomas R. (Terry) Williamson III is a Patent Attorney practicing in Atlanta, Georgia.

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