Is the Engel & Volkers franchisee allowed to register marks that would prejudice the rights attaching to the trademarks?

According to the 2025 Engel & Volkers Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are explicitly prohibited from registering any marks or names that could potentially harm the rights associated with Engel & Volkers' trademarks. This restriction includes marks or names that are confusingly similar to Engel & Volkers' existing trademarks or those that incorporate the trademarks in any way.

This provision protects Engel & Volkers' brand identity and ensures consistent brand representation across all franchise locations. It prevents franchisees from creating marks that could dilute or infringe upon the established trademarks, which are crucial assets for the franchise system. Franchisees must adhere strictly to the guidelines provided in the franchise agreement and system documentation regarding trademark usage.

Engel & Volkers also maintains control over the use of its trademarks in the metaverse, reserving all rights and preventing franchisees from independently using the trademarks in that digital realm. This further underscores the franchisor's commitment to managing and protecting its intellectual property across all platforms and mediums. Franchisees are also restricted from using specific names such as "ENGEL & VÖLKERS®", "ENGEL & VOLKERS", and other similar names as part of their company's legal name without prior written permission from Engel & Volkers.