Trademark
licensing.
Agreements for lending or borrowing a brand, with the terms that matter set at the start: scope, quality, money and what happens when it ends.
What’s included
(05)A brand lent on a handshake to a distributor or franchisee tends to become a dispute when the relationship changes.
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Scope
Which products, which territory, which channels, for how long, and whether the licence is exclusive.
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Quality control
Standards, approvals and checks, so the owner keeps control of how the brand is used and the mark stays strong.
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Money
How royalties or fees are worked out, reported and paid.
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The end of the licence
What happens to leftover stock, signage, domains and social handles when the licence stops.
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Both sides of the deal
Whether you are lending your brand or using someone else’s, the terms are read from your side.
When you need it
- A distributor, franchisee or partner wants to use your brand
- You want to sell products under another company’s brand
- A brand is shared between group companies without paperwork
- An old licence is up for renewal and the terms no longer fit
How it runs
(04)You get a written scope, a fixed price and a start date before anyone begins.
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Understand
We learn the deal: who uses the brand, for what, where, and what each side expects.
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Set terms
Scope, quality, money and the end are set out in plain language before anything is drafted.
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Draft
The agreement is drafted by the registered trade mark agent or advocate we engage, from those terms.
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Sign and record
You review and sign, and the licence is recorded where that is needed.
What you leave with
- A term sheet in plain language
- A drafted licence agreement
- Quality standards and an approval process
- A clear plan for when the licence ends
Also in Trademark & Legal
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FAQ
Answered questions.
Yes, if anyone other than the owner uses the brand. A written licence sets who may do what, protects the owner’s control, and makes the end of the arrangement much easier.
A brand that is used without any control by the owner can lose strength as a mark. The licence should let the owner set standards, approve uses and check them.
We can set out the brand side of a franchise: how the name, logo and store look may be used. The wider franchise terms are a matter for the advocate we engage.
