In order to be irreplaceable one
must always be different.
– Coco Chanel

Trademark Searches

Our trademark searches will tell you if your most valuable business ideas – your trademarks – are available for your business to own and use.

We’ll sift through databases containing hundreds of existing trademarks and trade names to find out if your trademark is truly unique and capable of helping your business grow.

Contact us for more information.

Trademarks, and primarily names and logos, are what consumers use to differentiate between products and services. But this only works if the trademark is unique, and the only way to know that is to search for any pre-existing similar trademarks.

Adopting a trademark that is similar to someone else’s could confuse your customers and impair your business growth, but it can also infringe the legal rights of that other trademark owner. Dealing with a trademark infringement claim is no walk in the park. At a minimum, you’ll incur legal fees in defending against the claim, and in most cases, you’ll end up having to invest in changing your trademark.

Searching for potentially confusing trademarks is the best investment that you can make in your new business, product or service. Too often we see new business owners invest time and money in branding, website and packaging design, only to have to change it all when they realize their name or logo is already being used or its so similar to someone else’s that its practically indistinguishable.

Trademarks, and primarily names and logos, are what consumers use to differentiate between products and services. But this only works if the trademark is unique, and the only way to know that is to search for any pre-existing similar trademarks.

Adopting a trademark that is similar to someone else’s could confuse your customers and impair your business growth, but it can also infringe the legal rights of that other trademark owner. Dealing with a trademark infringement claim is no walk in the park. At a minimum, you’ll incur legal fees in defending against the claim, and in most cases, you’ll end up having to invest in changing your trademark.

Searching for potentially confusing trademarks is the best investment that you can make in your new business, product or service. Too often we see new business owners invest time and money in branding, website and packaging design, only to have to change it all when they realize their name or logo is already being used or its so similar to someone else’s that its practically indistinguishable.

Our trademark searches will tell you whether
there are possible trademark infringement claims in your future
you can own your trademark in your industry
you can stop others from using deceptively similar trademarks to confuse your customer
We are trademark
registration experts.

Trademark protection starts with having strong trademarks. We can help ensure your trademarks are strong with in-depth trademark searches.

Our trademark search packages include:

  • Searches of the trademark register for identical and similar marks
  • Searches of business names and other unregistered trademark sources
  • Legal analysis of the availability of the trademark
  • 30-minute Q&A session to discuss the search results and our recommendations
We are trademark
registration experts.

Trademark protection starts with having strong trademarks. We can help ensure your trademarks are strong with in-depth trademark searches.

Our trademark search packages include:

  • Searches of the trademark register for identical and similar marks
  • Searches of business names and other unregistered trademark sources
  • Legal analysis of the availability of the trademark
  • 30-minute Q&A session to discuss the search results and our recommendations
TESTIMONIALS
We love our clients and they love us too. Hear what a few of them had to say about us recently.

Cynthia provided clear, encouraging and empowering advice when I was navigating the trademark process for my small business. She was available quickly and it didn’t stress her out that I was up against tight deadlines. It has been a pleasure working with Cynthia. I’m grateful to have her as my go to IP expert!

Julie LeJeune

Founder & CEO, Wish and Give
Contact us to start working with us today.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I check registered trademarks?

You can check for registered and pending trademarks by searching the Canadian Intellectual Property Office’s trademarks database.

The trademark I wanted is already in use. What do I do now?

If the trademark is already being used in your industry, you should pick another trademark. To be capable of differentiating your products or services, your trademark must be unique. Additionally, if you use a trademark that belongs to someone else, you could be liable for trademark infringement.

Should I retain a lawyer to complete the Canadian trademark search?

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office’s trademarks database is publicly available for anyone to search, but a trademark lawyer will add experience and insight to reading the results. A trademark lawyer can advise you on whether there are any earlier trademarks that you could be infringing, and they will save you from wasting your time and money into a trademark that is not available for your use.

When should I retain a lawyer to complete a trademark search?

You should retain a lawyer to complete a trademark search for you before you start using your trademark to sell products or services. If you use a trademark that is confusing with someone else’s, you could be liable for trademark infringement and passing off.

How much does a trademark search cost in Canada?

An in-depth search of registered, pending and unregistered Canadian trademarks costs $995 + HST.

What are trademarks?

Trademarks are names, logos, taglines and any other symbols that a business uses to distinguish their products and services in the marketplace. To be able to function as a trademark, the name, logo, tagline or other symbol can’t be generic or descriptive of your products or services, and it must be unique.