IP & Trademark Registration
Your business name, logo and brand are among your most valuable assets — yet many owners leave them unprotected until it is too late. Registering a UK trade mark gives you exclusive legal rights to your brand and the power to stop others using it. Our London accountants handle the entire trade mark registration process, from search to grant, so your intellectual property is properly protected.
What trade mark registration involves
A trade mark is a sign that distinguishes your goods or services from those of other businesses — typically a name, a logo, or a combination. Registering it with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) gives you a legally enforceable monopoly over that mark for the goods and services you specify, anywhere in the UK.
Registration is not automatic. Your mark must be distinctive, not descriptive of what you sell, and not identical or similar to an existing registered mark. A thorough conflict search before you file is essential — applying for a mark that conflicts with an existing one wastes your fee and can trigger an opposition that blocks your registration entirely.
How we register your trade mark
We start by evaluating your brand assets and conducting a comprehensive conflict search against existing UK trade marks. We then advise on the correct classes of goods and services to register — a strategic decision that determines how broad your protection is — and draft and file your application with the IPO.
Once filed, your application enters an examination and publication period during which third parties can oppose it. We monitor your application through this opposition period and respond to any objections, guiding it through to registration.
Why protecting your brand matters
An unregistered brand can be copied with little recourse, and you can even be forced to rebrand if someone else registers a similar mark first. A registered trade mark protects your reputation, adds value to your business, and gives you a clear legal route to stop copycats — making it one of the most worthwhile investments a growing brand can make.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does trade mark registration take?
A straightforward UK application typically takes around three to four months from filing to registration, assuming there are no oppositions.
What can I register as a trade mark?
Names, logos, words, and in some cases shapes or sounds, provided they are distinctive and not purely descriptive of your goods or services.
What are trade mark classes?
Goods and services are grouped into classes. We advise on which classes to register so your protection covers the areas where you actually trade.
What happens if someone opposes my application?
During the publication period third parties can oppose your mark. We monitor this period and help you respond to any objections to keep your application on track.
Does a UK trade mark protect me abroad?
A UK trade mark protects you in the UK only. If you trade internationally, we can discuss separate protection in other territories.