Intellectual Property Lawyers
We protect trade marks, inventions and creative works, and pursue infringement through both administrative and court channels.
Overview
A trade name and a trademark are different things, and confusing them is the most expensive mistake companies make in Saudi Arabia. Registering a commercial register in a given name gives you no protection over the mark; protection comes only from registering the trademark with the competent authority, in the classes you actually trade in.
We handle trademark registration, renewal and opposition to conflicting applications; copyright and software protection; patents and industrial designs; and licensing and assignment agreements. Where there is infringement we move on two tracks: the fast administrative route to stop the harm, then a claim for documented damages.
Effective protection starts before launch, not after: clearance search, correct class selection, then filing. Companies that defer registration until the brand succeeds usually discover someone registered it first — at which point a modest filing fee becomes a long and expensive dispute.
The legal framework
IP protection in the Kingdom rests on specialised statutes and a central registration and enforcement authority:
- The GCC Trademark Law as applied in the Kingdom and its regulations
- The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property: registration, opposition and enforcement
- The Copyright Law and its coverage of software and other works
- The Patents, Layout Designs and Industrial Designs Law
- The anti-commercial fraud and counterfeiting regime in imitation cases
- The Nice classification and its effect on the scope of protection
Situations we handle
Launching a new brand
Clearance before spending on identity and packaging. Discovering a conflict after launch means rebuilding the brand entirely.
Registering across multiple classes
Protection is limited to the classes registered. We select them by current activity and the expansion expected over three years.
Opposing a similar mark
Opposition windows are short and run from publication. Monitoring the journals is what makes opposition possible at all.
A counterfeit product in the market
We assemble the evidence and file with the competent authority to stop circulation, then claim documented damages.
Licensing your mark to a third party
The licence sets scope, term, quality standards and termination. Without quality control the brand loses more than the royalty earns.
Costly mistakes we see
- 1
Treating the commercial register as protection
The register lets you trade under a name; it does not stop others using a similar mark. They are entirely separate regimes.
- 2
Deferring filing until the brand succeeds
Success is precisely what attracts opportunistic filings. Registering early costs far less than recovering a mark someone else registered.
- 3
Filing in one class only
Expanding into a new product or service outside the registered class leaves the new line with no protection at all.
- 4
Transferring rights without documentation
A design or codebase produced by a contractor does not transfer automatically. An express assignment clause is required.
How the procedure runs, step by step
Intellectual property in Saudi Arabia is administered by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, and a right is not protected by use alone but by registration and priority date.
- 1
Search for conflicts before filing
We search the registers and neighbouring classes before filing. An earlier similar mark means refusal months later and lost fees, or worse: opposition from a senior owner after you have built the brand.
- 2
Define the classes precisely
Registration sits in specified Nice classes, and protection does not extend to an activity you did not register for. Expanding the business later without a new filing leaves the most important part of it unprotected.
- 3
File and manage examination
The application is filed electronically, then the examination decision issues as acceptance or as formal objections. The response window is fixed, and missing it lapses the application and forces a fresh filing.
- 4
Publication and the opposition window
An accepted mark is published and third parties may oppose within the statutory period. We answer opposition with a memorandum showing the differences in class, target public and degree of distinctiveness.
- 5
Protection and enforcement after registration
Once registered we monitor counterfeiting and infringement: takedown notices, complaints to the Authority, and damages claims before the Commercial Court. Regular monitoring is cheaper than a claim after copies have spread through the market.
Documents we will ask you for
- The final artwork of the mark or logo in high resolution
- Commercial registration of the mark’s owner
- The list of target goods and services
- Evidence of first use, if any
- Earlier registrations of the mark in other countries
- Any licence or assignment agreement
Fees and timelines
Registration is offered at a fixed fee per mark and class, with official fees stated separately. Oppositions and disputes are priced by stage: search and assessment, the administrative step, then litigation where required.
On timing: a clearance search takes days. Registration usually runs several months through examination, publication and issue of the certificate, and longer where an opposition is filed. Action to stop counterfeiting is much faster than a damages claim, which is why we start there.
Common questions
Does my commercial register protect my name?
No. It entitles you to trade under the name but does not prevent others from using a similar mark. Protection comes from registering the trademark with the competent authority in the classes relevant to your business.
How long does trademark registration take?
Usually several months from filing to certificate, through examination, publication and the opposition period. An opposition adds time depending on how it is resolved.
Which classes should we register?
Those covering your actual activity and what you plan to enter soon. Filing in a single class leaves the rest of your business exposed; filing in unrelated classes raises cost without benefit.
What if someone registered my mark?
It depends on the timing and on evidence of your prior use. The available routes include opposition if we are within the window, or cancellation supported by proof of priority and use. Moving quickly changes the outcome considerably.
Does protection extend abroad?
No. Registration is territorial, and expansion requires filing in each market or through the available international routes. We plan that around your real markets rather than aspiration.
Is software protected by copyright?
Yes, code is protected as a work — but that does not substitute for proper contracts with developers. A development agreement must expressly assign rights to the company, or they remain with the developer.
How do we deal with a counterfeit product?
We start by gathering documented evidence, file with the competent authority to halt circulation and seize stock, then claim compensation. The order matters: stop the harm first, because damages take longer.
When do we need a trademark licence?
Whenever a third party uses your mark: franchise, distribution or manufacturing. The agreement must define scope, term, quality standards, termination and what happens to existing stock.
Related services
Trademark Lawyers
We prepare trade mark applications, oppositions and assignments and follow them to registration.
Technology & Data Privacy Lawyers
We help companies comply with personal data protection rules and paper their technology arrangements.
Commercial Agency Lawyers
We handle commercial agency registration and disputes over termination and compensation.