Trade Marks & Branding

We’re here for every business, charity or not-for-profit. And that’s what makes our Trade Marks team different.

Here at Bates Wells, you’ll find the only intellectual property and trade marks team that focuses on, and understands, the charity and non-profit marketplace. We understand your sector and the challenges you face.
We also specialise in assisting responsible businesses and corporates in protecting their intellectual property and enforcing it in a responsible manner.

Our work encompasses trade mark searching and registration, in the UK and worldwide; We can also help you with licensing, and with resolving IP-related disputes of all kinds. We always make sure we minimise the need for costly court action and undue publicity.

Unlike many other law firms, our trade marks team is comprised entirely of specialised Chartered Trade Mark Attorneys; 100% committed to helping you succeed in the right way.

The benefits of a rebrand extend far beyond a new logo and colour scheme. It will have an impact on your company ethos, the tone of your communications and many other things. Our trade mark and IP team have the job of guiding our clients through their rebrand process. We help with managing expectations, evaluating risks and helping make sure you don’t head down the road to disaster, whilst remaining positive, ‘can-do’ and commercial. There are several legal boxes to tick and hoops to jump through to complete a rebrand, and we are here to help.

How we help

We’ve decades of experience in helping people like you look after some of your business or charity’s most valuable assets: its brand, copyright works, technology (in the forms of patents and designs) and know-how.

We help responsible businesses, individuals, charities and non-profits, social enterprises, public sector bodies and all kinds of other organisations across a range of fields: notably, education, healthcare, finance, communications, and the culture and creative sector.

We also act for the organising committees of major sporting events and major INGOs.

Please click here to download a copy of our Branding & Trade Marks Brochure to read more about the work we do.

Here are our five top tips of the key things you need to think about as you embark on your new rebrand journey.

Relevant work:

  • Advised a global animal welfare charity on the restructure of its trade mark licensing arrangements for affiliates worldwide.
  • Helped a major campaigning organisation understand the legal and commercial implications of using its commercial targets’ names, logos and other copyright works in its critical campaigning activities
  • Conducted an IP audit of an umbrella organisation for a number of charities.
Explore

360 Brand Review for Charities

Names and brands are a key asset for any charity. It is crucial that, as your charity grows and evolves, …
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Trade Marks and Brand Protection for Charities: A Guide

This guide covers key aspects of Trade Marks and Brand Protection, such as what a trade mark is, why you …
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Bates Wells advises on the transfer of the Climate Disclosure Standards Board to the IFRS Foundation

Bates Wells has advised CDP, the global non-profit that runs the world’s environmental disclosure system, on the transfer of the …
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‘The Bates Wells trade mark attorneys are very adept at thinking outside the box when addressing complex or challenging trade mark issues. This type of thinking and approach is invaluable.’

Trade Marks, Legal 500 2024

‘The knowledge of the team is exceptional and the advice they provide is commercial and balanced. They pursue matters only if it is beneficial to the client.’

Trade Marks, Legal 500 2024

‘The team is always helpful, quick, clear, and genuinely cares about its clients.’

Trade Marks, Legal 500 2024

‘The team has a particularly strong understanding of charities and how they work.’

Trade Marks, Legal 500 2024
Meet our team

A Charity’s brands – its names, logos and slogans – may be the most valuable things it owns. But is everyone in your organisation ‘BrandAware’? Do they understand how to look after these key assets?

Bates Wells BrandAware – virtual training for charities