Intellectual property & brand protection
The biggest IP risks are often the ones you don’t see: code you don’t fully own, a brand name you never cleared, or a logo that was never formally assigned. We help you close the gaps, secure what your business creates, and protect the brand you’re building.
We clear and protect your brand, and put written IP assignments in place with employees, contractors, and vendors, so your business owns what it creates.
An IP gap stays invisible until it costs you: an investor’s lawyer asks for the assignments, a buyer’s due diligence uncovers a gap, or a competitor starts using a name you thought was yours.
Brand & trademarks
Ownership & contracts
A short intake: your brand and product, what you or your business has created, who created it, and your goals.
A plain-language engagement letter setting out what we’ll do and the fixed fee, agreed before any work begins.
We handle the strategy, clearance, drafting, and any filing ourselves, and refer you to a registered agent for patent or trademark prosecution where it’s required.
Signed assignments, sound contract terms, and a clear record of what your business owns: the paperwork that holds up when an investor or buyer asks to see it.
Trademarks generally protect the signs consumers use to identify your business, such as names and logos. Copyright protects original works such as written content, graphics, photographs, designs, and software code. A business can rely on both.
Not automatically. In Canada, a contractor generally owns the work they create unless they’ve assigned it to you in writing, and even employee-created IP is cleaner with an express assignment. This is the single most common gap we find, and the one investors and buyers look at first. We put the written assignments in place so the answer is yes.
Registration isn’t mandatory to use a trademark, but it can give you significantly stronger rights and make those rights easier to enforce. We can help you assess whether registration makes sense for your brand and navigate the application process.
Product and service names, your brand name, logos, slogans, and other brand identifiers may be protectable, depending on what they are and how they’re used. This includes images (“design marks”) and words or phrases (“word marks”).
Maybe, but don’t assume so. Ownership depends on the circumstances and the agreement you signed. If the contract does not properly address IP ownership, an assignment may be needed to make the company’s rights clear.
No. We can assess the name you’re already using, identify potential conflicts, and help you understand your options before you invest further in the brand.
It depends on the rights each party has, how similar the names and businesses are, and how the marks are being used. We can assess the situation and advise on practical next steps, from coexistence and demand letters to involving specialized trademark counsel where necessary.
Align Counsel finds the gaps and closes them: clean ownership and a protected brand, before an investor or buyer goes looking. The first conversation is on us.
Book a free consultationThe information above is general in nature and is not legal advice. Every situation and transaction is different, and advice tailored to your specific circumstances is required to address your particular needs. If you have questions, contact Align Counsel at [email protected].