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I have a question on trademarks that has not been answered in quite
the terms I need in the archives. I have cross-posted this message, so
some of you may receive it twice.
I have written a user's guide for an online trading application (call
it Trader). I have written the guide with a statement on the TOC page:
"Trader (TM) is a trademark of French Banque, S.A." The lawyer wants me to
use the TM symbol everywhere while I have been following the "rule" that it
is not necessary in running text. She may even want me to put it in the
headers (which are in 8pt and my head aches every time I think about trying
to put in TM).
Am I running into a difference between American and French law or
custom? The owners are a French bank, and the lawyer is also French,
although the documentation is written in English and the application is
used by traders world-wide. Does this complicate TM use?
I would like some advice on strategy also. In the response I have
begun I have noted that documentation such as a guide is not the same as
advertising, CD labels, brochures, etc. I have also cited the CMoS as
authoritative, but I am not sure an English language style guide will cut
much ice with a French lawyer, even though the language of the guide is
English (well, OK, .... American English).
I really do not want to add TM throughout the text and I would
appreciate any support and advice you could give me.
Leslie
Documentation Specialist
Fimat Facilities Management, Inc.
Chicago, Illinois USA
lpeet -at- fimat -dot- com
312-578-5102
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