Craig Morris, managing attorney in the Trademark Educational Outreach Office of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, will discuss the basics of trademarking.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015 from 11:50 to 1:00 p.m. at the College of Law (Auditorium).
During the discussion, Morris will discuss:
-how trademarks, copyrights, patents,domain names, and business name registrations all differ.
-why it is important for any new business to select a trademark that will be both federally registrable and legally protectable, highlighting factors critical when choosing a mark.
-the importance of doing a complete search and whether an attorney should be used.
-what may happen if another trademark owner believes it has stronger rights in a mark and issues a “cease-and-desist” letter.
-information on what the USPTO does in the federal registration process and how to avoid “scams” perpetrated by companies that request fees for services not required by the USPTO.
Craig Morris works within the Office of the Commissioner for Trademarks in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Alexandria, Virginia. Currently he is the Managing Attorney for Trademark Educational Outreach, spearheading the effort for increased USPTO educational activities in the area of trademark fundamentals. For fourteen years prior, he was the Managing Attorney for the Trademark Electronic Application System, focusing on making the Trademark Operation a total e-government environment. Mr. Morris has been with the USPTO since 1983, previously serving as a Law Office Examining Attorney, Senior Attorney, and Managing Attorney.