Intellectual Property Law · Worldwide
Take Your Brand Global With an International Trademark Strategy
Expanding beyond Europe means your name and logo need protection in each new market — and the Madrid System can simplify filing across many countries through one application. We match you, free of charge, with a vetted lawyer who designs and manages international trademark portfolios.
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Who this is for
Going global means your brand needs to travel with you
An international trademark strategy protects your name and logo in the countries where you actually do business, now and in the future. The Madrid System, administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), lets you file one international application based on a home registration and designate a long list of member countries — rather than instructing separate lawyers in each. It is a powerful tool, but it is not a single worldwide right: each designated country examines and can refuse your mark under its own rules, and the whole system depends on the validity of the underlying home registration for a period of years. Choosing the right base, the right designations and the right classes therefore shapes everything that follows. A specialist can turn a scattered set of filings into a coherent, cost-effective global portfolio.
Why global filings unravel
Filing in many countries is where
brands quietly fall apart
Every country has its own examiners, deadlines and refusals — and the Madrid System, while helpful, adds dependencies of its own.
Wrong base registration
The Madrid System is anchored to a home mark; if that base is attacked or cancelled during the early years, the entire international registration can collapse with it — so the foundation must be strong.
Country-by-country refusals
Each designated country examines your mark independently and can issue its own provisional refusal, requiring local responses within strict, different deadlines that are easy to miss.
Blind spots in key markets
Choosing designations without a market plan leads to gaps in the very countries you later expand into, forcing costly new filings when competitors may already be moving in.
What you get
A global portfolio built on one coherent strategy
We match you with international trademark lawyers who manage Madrid System filings and multi-country portfolios daily.
Market-led designations
Your lawyer maps your current and planned markets, then selects the designations and classes that protect your brand where it counts — without wasting fees on countries you will never enter.
Madrid System filing
The international application is prepared and filed through WIPO, anchored to a solid base registration and carefully structured to minimise refusals further down the line.
Local refusal responses
Provisional refusals and office actions from individual countries are answered by the right local counsel, coordinated through a single point of contact so deadlines are never missed.
Portfolio management
Renewals, assignments and new designations are tracked across every single country in your portfolio, keeping your protection aligned as your business continues to grow steadily.
Coverage
Trademark protection that spans the globe
International trademark protection spans far more than Europe — the Madrid System counts over a hundred member territories. We match cases for filing and management across the following and many more countries:
Frequently asked
International trademarks — common questions
What is the Madrid System for international trademarks?
The Madrid System, run by WIPO, lets you file a single international application and designate many member countries, instead of filing separately in each. It simplifies administration and can reduce cost, but each country still examines the mark under its own law.
Does an international trademark cover the whole world?
No. It covers only the countries you designate, and only those that are members of the Madrid System. There is no single ‘worldwide’ trademark, so protection has to be built country by country, often with the Madrid System as the vehicle.
What is a ‘base registration’ and why does it matter?
An international application depends on a home-country registration. If that base mark is cancelled or successfully attacked within a set period — often the first five years — the international registration can be affected too. A strong base is therefore essential.
Can individual countries refuse my international mark?
Yes. Each designated country can issue a provisional refusal under its own rules, for reasons such as an earlier local mark or a descriptive term in the local language. These refusals must be answered locally, within that country’s own deadlines.
How long does international registration take?
Timelines vary widely by designated country. Some examine and accept within months, while others take considerably longer or rarely examine substantively. Your lawyer can give you realistic expectations for each market you have chosen.
Do I still need local lawyers in each country?
Often yes, at least on a limited basis — for answering refusals, handling oppositions or enforcing your rights locally. The advantage of the Madrid System is centralised filing and renewal, but local expertise is usually still needed where disputes arise.
Free case review
Your brand can cross borders — your protection should too
Tell us where you sell and where you plan to expand, and we’ll connect you with an international trademark lawyer who manages Madrid System filings worldwide every day — free of charge, with no obligation to hire.