Practice area
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property protects trademarks, trade names, patents, industrial designs and copyright works. We file and prosecute distinctive signs before the Colombian Superintendence of Industry and Commerce, monitor trademark portfolios, file oppositions and litigate infringement matters.
Scope
Intellectual Property services
- Trademark, slogan and trade name filings before the SIC
- Clearance searches and registrability opinions
- Oppositions and defence against third-party applications
- Active trademark portfolio watch
- Patents and industrial designs
- Copyright and works registration
- Franchising agreements
- Non-disclosure agreements and technology transfer
- IP infringement litigation
- Regulatory matters connected to innovation
Who handles it
Lawyers in this practice
Common questions
Questions about intellectual property
- How long does trademark registration take in Colombia?
- Registration before the SIC takes between 6 and 8 months where no opposition is filed, and may exceed a year where one is. Official fees accrue per Nice class applied for and are updated annually. A granted registration lasts ten years and is indefinitely renewable.
- Does prior use protect a trademark in Colombia?
- Not on its own. Colombia follows a first-to-file system: the right arises from registration, not from use. A company that has used a mark for years without registering it can lose it to a third party who files first, which makes early filing a priority for market entry.
- Is Colombia part of the Madrid Protocol?
- Yes. Colombia acceded to the Madrid Protocol, so a trademark can be designated through an international registration. Local prosecution still applies, and oppositions and office actions are handled before the SIC under Andean Community Decision 486.