If you are an inventor, artist, or entrepreneur, you need to understand the legalities behind trademarks and how they can be used to protect your work. Trademarks help to protect a word, phrase, symbol, or device. It covers the distinguishing “mark” that is used to identify and differentiate merchandise from each other. McDonald’s has trademarked the phrase “I’m lovin’ it,” and Coca-Cola’s application to trademark the design of its curved glass bottles is approved. This means that no other company can legally copy these trademarked distinguishers to utilize as their own. Laura Cowan, who has b…