Legal branding refers to your name and visual identity, such as your logo.  Your primary brand is your trading name and registering a trade mark will give you better ownership rights in the name.

Trademarks are the intellectual property rights that protect business or product names.  It is not possible to have copyright in a word.  

Logos and other aspects of your visual identity may also be trademarked, but in addition they are protected by copyright and Designs. 

Business or Product Names

Domain and company names may be available to register, but your use or potential use of them could infringe someone else's trade mark rights, and as such are vulnerable to cancellation.  Therefore, a trademark search is advisable before you use a name you've registered.

Trade marks are registered against classifications, meaning that more than one business may own rights in exactly the same name.  The key is whether there is competition or overlap.

To work out in which classes to search and register your trademark check the classes that could apply to your business. 

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