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International Trademark Lawyers

Greyson Legal
"Local Expertise. Worldwide Protection."
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Expanding overseas? Selling through e-commerce platforms? Licensing your brand internationally?

 

Your Australian trademark does not automatically protect you in foreign countries. To safeguard your brand globally, you must register your trademark in each country where you manufacture, distribute, advertise, or sell.

 

At Greyson Legal – Commercial, IP & Franchise Lawyers, we help businesses throughout Australia (including the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Tasmania) protect their brands in major global markets through strategic international trademark registration.

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Why International Trademark Protection Matters

If you’re trading outside Australia—even unintentionally—your risk increases significantly:

 

Risks without international protection

 

  • Competitors registering your brand overseas

  • Losing access to key markets (Amazon, eBay, Shopify require trademarks)

  • Counterfeit products and brand misuse

  • Being blocked from using your own brand overseas

  • Costly rebranding if someone gets there first

  • Problems when franchising internationally

  • Difficulty licensing your brand or expanding into new territories

 

A trademark strategy that only covers Australia leaves your business vulnerable.

Filing Through the Madrid Protocol

The Madrid Protocol is an international treaty that allows businesses to protect their trademarks in multiple countries through a single application, rather than filing separate applications in each country.

 

For Australian businesses seeking overseas expansion, it is often the most efficient and cost-effective pathway to international brand protection.

 

Australia is a full member of the Madrid Protocol, meaning Australian trademark owners can leverage the system to streamline global applications through IP Australia and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

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How Greyson Legal Manages Madrid Protocol Applications

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We provide full, end-to-end guidance to ensure the application is strategically filed and efficiently managed.

Our services include:

  • Assessing whether Madrid is the most cost-effective option

  • Choosing the best countries to designate

  • Preparing a strong, compliant Australian base application

  • Filing the Madrid application through IP Australia

  • Managing all WIPO correspondence

  • Responding to foreign examiner objections

  • Handling oppositions or refusals in designated countries

  • Managing renewals and subsequent designations

 

We also advise when a direct national filing (outside Madrid) may be better—particularly in the USA, Canada, or markets with complex examination rules

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When Direct National Filing Is Recommended

While the Madrid Protocol provides an efficient way to register trademarks in many countries at once, it is not always the best or only option. In some cases, filing directly in a specific foreign country—known as a direct national filing—is the most effective strategy for securing trademark protection overseas.

 

Direct filing involves submitting a trademark application straight to the trademark office of the country or regionwhere protection is needed, usually with assistance from a local trademark attorney in that jurisdiction.

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Greyson Legal advises clients to consider direct filing in several scenarios, including where countries are not Madrid members, such as:​

  • Most of South America

  • Some Middle Eastern and African nations

  • Some small developing jurisdictions

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Certain trademark offices have stricter or more technical examination processes. Such as, the United States (USPTO) and China (CNIPA). In these jurisdictions direct filing typically provides more control of the process.

Trademark Clearance Searches

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A trademark clearance search is one of the most important steps before filing a trademark application—whether in Australia or overseas. The goal is simple: to identify conflicts early and determine whether your trademark is available, registrable, and legally safe to use in your target markets.

 

Clearance searches significantly reduce the risk of:

  • examiner objections

  • costly oppositions

  • infringement disputes

  • brand confusion

  • forced rebranding

  • product recalls or blocked imports

 

For businesses planning to expand internationally, a clearance search is essential to avoid expensive problems down the track.

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Greyson Legal International Trademark Lawyers provide a comprehensive assessment which includes:

  • Reviewing identical & similar marks

  • Assessing registrability under local trademark laws

  • Advising on risk level (low / moderate / high)

  • Recommending alternative versions or spelling if needed

  • Advising on filing strategy to maximise success

  • Preparing a written clearance report

  • Providing worldwide search options across all major markets

 

This ensures you have a clear understanding of whether your trademark is likely to be accepted, what risks you face, and whether your brand is safe to launch internationally.

Enforcement, Oppositions & Brand Protection Overseas

Securing a trademark overseas is only part of protecting your brand. Once your trademark is registered, you must ensure it remains respected, defended, and enforceable in every country where you trade.

 

International markets come with additional challenges—counterfeits, local competitors, different legal procedures, and varied enforcement standards. 

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We can offer assistance with enforcement, oppositions, disputes, anti-counterfeiting and brand protection to keep your trademark strong and defensible.

Legal Consultant

Our International Trademark Services Include

  • International trademark filing strategy

  • Madrid Protocol filings

  • Country-by-country filings

  • Trademark clearance searches

  • Responding to examiner objections

  • Oppositions and non-use cancellation actions

  • International brand enforcement

  • Licensing and assignment agreements

  • Global IP portfolio management

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