"What's the point in a trademark if it costs so much to defend it? We did everything by the book to protect our brand, but the system isn't set up to support smaller businesses when this kind of thing happens."
"Small businesses do the right thing - they build something unique, register it, and follow the rules. But when a big company with deep pockets comes along and uses something similar, we're priced out of the system that's supposed to protect us."
"We need a better framework - whether that's subsidised legal aid, streamlined mediation, or a dedicated fund to help SMEs enforce their rights. Otherwise, what's the point of registering your IP if only large corporates can afford to defend it?"
Craig Alexander Rattray is a Scottish finance expert and founder of the financial education programme Know Your Numbers®. Rattray holds the registered UK trademark for "Know Your Numbers" in the field of financial education and training. Xero launched a "Know Your Numbers" initiative in Australia and New Zealand and recently rolled it out in the UK using a name described as strikingly similar to the registered trademark. Legal advice indicates a strong case, but estimated litigation costs of up to £750,000 make enforcement impractical for most SMEs. Proposed remedies include simplified legal recourse, subsidised support, faster dispute resolution, subsidised legal aid, streamlined mediation, or a dedicated fund to help SMEs enforce intellectual property rights.
Read at Business Matters
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