IP & Trademark
Your brand, inventions, and designs need strong legal protection to thrive in the Turkish market. I help foreign businesses navigate TÜRKPATENT procedures and international filing protocols, ensuring your IP assets are registered, defended, and enforced with precision.
1. Services That I Give
Trademark availability searches and registration before the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT)
International trademark registration under the Madrid Protocol, designating Turkey
Patent applications (national and European patent validation) and utility model filings
Industrial design registration for product appearance and packaging protection
Trademark opposition and cancellation actions against conflicting third-party applications
IP portfolio management, including renewals, recordal of assignments, and licensing agreements
Infringement monitoring, cease-and-desist letters, and customs recordal to block counterfeit goods
2. Key Considerations
First-to-file system – Turkey grants trademark rights to the first applicant, not the first user; delay can allow a local party to register your mark in bad faith
International priority dates – you have a 6-month priority window from your home filing to claim the same date in Turkey; missing it resets your filing date
Bad-faith filings are common – foreign brands often discover their mark already registered by a third party; I act to cancel these through opposition and court actions
Patent examination – TÜRKPATENT conducts formal and substantive examination; claims must be drafted carefully to meet Turkish law and avoid overly narrow or broad protection
Use requirement – a registered trademark that is not genuinely used in Turkey for five years becomes vulnerable to non-use cancellation actions
Enforcement linkage – registration is the prerequisite for criminal complaints, customs seizures, and civil damages claims against counterfeiters
3. How I Can Help
I provide a comprehensive, commercially aware IP strategy from filing to enforcement:
Conduct comprehensive availability searches and advise on registrability to avoid early rejections
Prepare and file applications directly with TÜRKPATENT or via the Madrid Protocol, ensuring classification and specifications match Turkish practice
Draft patent claims and descriptions in accordance with Turkish industrial property law, coordinating with your international patent counsel
Vigorously oppose conflicting marks and petition for the cancellation of bad-faith registrations that block your market entry
Monitor your marks and publish watch notices, so you can strike early against infringers
Implement customs recordal and coordinate with enforcement authorities to seize counterfeit goods at the border and in the marketplace
Manage your portfolio’s renewals and maintenance, so you never lose a right by oversight
Don’t let a copycat or procedural gap undermine your brand in Turkey. Let’s secure your IP position before you enter the market. Contact me for a risk-free trademark search and strategy call.