Your brand, technology and creative work are often worth more than your physical assets, yet in Oman they are only as secure as the steps you take to protect them. Dr. Abdullah Al Rashdi Office, Advocates and Legal Consultants, is an intellectual property lawyer in Oman based in Al Khuwair, Muscat, acting for local businesses, foreign investors and expatriate entrepreneurs across the Sultanate. With over 20 years of experience, we handle everything from trademark registration in Oman to litigation against infringers.
When do you need an IP lawyer in Oman?
- You are entering the Omani market and want to secure your brand before launch or before appointing a distributor.
- A competitor is using a name or logo identical or confusingly similar to yours.
- Counterfeit goods bearing your mark are being sold in shops or online.
- Your trademark application has been opposed, or you want to oppose someone else's application.
- You have an invention or industrial design and need patent or design protection before disclosing it.
- You are licensing your brand or technology to an Omani partner, or you have received an infringement claim yourself.
How we help
- Litigation and advocacy: we defend and plead in intellectual property cases before the Primary Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, whether you are claimant or defendant.
- Trademark registration: clearance searches, class selection, filing with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, follow-up through to the registration certificate, and timely renewals.
- Brand protection: watching for conflicting marks, filing oppositions, sending cease-and-desist letters and claiming damages, as part of a practical strategy for intellectual property protection.
- Patents and industrial designs: preserving your right to register a patent or design, managing the application and defending the right against unauthorised use.
- Anti-counterfeiting: complaints to the competent authorities and the Public Prosecution, requests for precautionary seizure of counterfeit goods, and the related civil claims.
- Trade names and related rights: defending your trade name and the other intellectual rights the law recognises for you.
- Copyright: protecting literary and artistic works, software and digital content, and pursuing compensation for unlawful copying.
- Licensing and assignment: drafting and reviewing trademark and technology licences, assignments, franchise terms and confidentiality agreements.
How we work with you
- First contact: send us your mark, invention or evidence of infringement by WhatsApp, phone or email; you do not need to be in Oman.
- Assessment: we review existing registrations and documents and explain your position, your options and the risks of each.
- Strategy: we recommend the right route, whether registration, opposition, a formal warning, settlement or court action.
- Action: we prepare and file applications, pleadings and complaints and follow every step to its conclusion.
- Aftercare: we follow up enforcement of any judgment, diarise renewals and watch for new infringements.
Documents to prepare
- A clear image of the mark or logo and the goods or services it covers.
- Your commercial registration or company documents, and the applicant's identification.
- A power of attorney in favour of the firm, duly legalised if signed outside Oman.
- Any existing registration certificates in Oman or abroad.
- For infringement: samples or photos of the infringing products, invoices, correspondence and evidence of when you began using your right.
Frequently asked questions
Is my foreign trademark registration valid in Oman?
Generally no. Trademark rights are territorial, so a registration in another country does not automatically protect you in Oman. Foreign companies should register in the Sultanate before entering the market; we can combine this with our investor and company services.
How long does trademark and patent protection last in Oman?
A registered trademark is protected for 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed for further equal periods. A patent expires 20 years after the application is filed, provided the prescribed fees and formalities are kept up throughout.
What happens during trademark registration in Oman?
The application is filed with the competent department of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, examined, and then published so that third parties can oppose it within the period set by law. If there is no opposition, or it is rejected, the registration certificate is issued. A search beforehand reduces the risk of refusal.
What can I do about counterfeit goods in Oman?
Preserve the evidence first. Depending on the facts, remedies may include a formal warning, a complaint to the competent authorities, precautionary seizure of the goods and a civil claim to stop the infringement and recover damages. Your position is far stronger if your mark is registered in Oman.
Which laws govern intellectual property in Oman?
Trademarks, patents and industrial designs are governed mainly by the Industrial Property Rights Law, alongside the GCC trademark law, while copyright has its own statute. Our article on the protection of intellectual property gives a wider overview.
Protect your brand before someone else profits from it. Message us on WhatsApp or call +968 9200 0841 to speak to our team, or visit our office in Al Khuwair, Muscat. We will review your position and set out a clear plan.
