This lecture provides a general overview of different means of individualization (identifiers) under the Russian law, such as trade names, firm names, designations of places of origin and trademarks. Each of them has its own unique function, special regulation, conditions of protection, scope of protection, remedies available to their right holders, as well as advantages and disadvantages.

This lecture explains process of acquiring trademark. We will see what signs can be registered as trademarks, explain different legal grounds when registration of a trademark can be denied. We will also discuss in detail absolute and relative grounds for refusal to register trademarks, in particular concept of distinctiveness, acquiring trademarks rights through use, immoral trademarks, interrelation of trademarks and prior rights of third parties and others. Specific rules and procedures for acquiring protection of well-known and foreign trademarks will be described as well.

During this lecture we will discuss conditions under which actions of third parties using similar sign are regarded as infringement of trademark rights according to the Russian Civil Code. Russian courts developed their own approach to consider trademark infringement disputes called sometimes as "triangle rule". Case studies and examples explaining the logic of the Russian case-law will be provided. Besides, there are some instances when defendants may be allowed to use another’s trademark without permission and without payment of any royalties. The lecture covers such legal defenses as well.

Trademark rights are not timeless or absolute; they may be terminated, revoked or invalidated if necessary legal grounds are present. What are these grounds? This lecture answers this question and provides for relevant illustrations when trademark rights may be removed from the Register of trademarks on voluntary or involuntary basis. Among them are expiration of trademark rights, waiver of rights, change of trademark owner’s legal status, opposition of third parties regarding breach of absolute or relative grounds for refusal to register trademarks, bad faith registration and unfair competition, non-use of trademarks and loss of distinctiveness.