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Ask HN: Have any of you with startups ran into someone trademarking your name

8 points| moegdaog | 13 years ago

What i mean is they trademarked your name after you've already launched.I know that a lot of startups don't take the time to do the legal stuff right away or some just want to test out an MVP first and only register a domain name and begin with a website. Is this common? what should you do if you start getting traction and get put into this predicament?

6 comments

noonespecial|13 years ago

Rule one. If its important enough to register a .com, its important enough to trademark.

I lost one I cared a lot about, not to squatters, or "enemies" but to guys I knew, respected and did business with because I got the .com and they got the trademark, both of us assuming that later on, we'd get the respective missing piece. Fortunately, neither of us was spoiling for a fight with the other so it was resolved amicably.

Trademarks trump ICANN registrations (to the point that ICANN will take your .com and give it to the trademark holder).

About the only thing having registered the .com before someone else trademarks it will get you is the ability to charge more to the trade-marker to sell him the .com.

moegdaog|13 years ago

unreal, sorry to hear that situation...if you solved it amicably then i'm sure it wasn't a horror story. I guess i'll hit up legalzoom or quora for the best and easiest way to trademark. If you know good site's please recommend.