What do the designations “TM” or “SM” stand for?
These designations usually indicate that a party claims rights in the mark and are often used before a federal registration is issued. No federal law governs the use of these symbols, however, use of the symbols “TM” or “SM” (for trademark and service mark, respectively) may be governed by local, state, or foreign laws and the laws of the pertinent jurisdiction must be consulted.
