Allowing Others to Use Your Trademarks? Get it in Writing!

Whenever you or your company allows others - such as members, chapters, affiliated entities, or endorsed vendors – to use you or your company’s trademark(s), name, logos, copyrighted works, or other intellectual property, put the terms and conditions of the license in writing.

While oral or implied non-exclusive licenses can exist, they can be difficult to interpret, difficult to enforce, limiting in nature, and otherwise problematic for you or your company.

So be safe rather than sorry. There are many terms that should be included in such an agreement and competent representation can assist you in the drafting of the same. At a minimum, however, an agreement should spell out what can be used, how it is to be used, who owns the trademarks at issue and how long the same can be used or the conditions under which use must cease.

The Trademark Company