Trademark FAQ
We are a law firm by creatives for creatives.
Common Questions About Trademarks
Why should I register my trademark?
When you register your trademark, you have the tools that you need to stop your competitors from copying your brand and stealing the reputation that you worked hard to build.
When you don’t have a registered trademark, your brand is vulnerable to takeover and you may be blocked from using your brand name. This can lead to expensive conflicts and the need to rebrand.
Bottom line: you don’t TRULY own your brand until you register your trademark.
It’s a small investment upfront that allows you to maintain control of your brand and business. There’s a lot more to it, so if you are serious about protecting your brand, schedule a phone call so that we can explain how a trademark registration serves your business.
What trademark should I register first?
People often ask us what to register first: the name, the logo, the slogan? Typically, we recommend registering the name first as that will be the most prominent feature of your brand.
As your business grows and your brand expands, you can register more trademarks. But we’ve noticed that our clients get the most value by registering the name first.
Want insight into what trademarks YOU should register first? Schedule a free consultation with us.
Should I do a trademark search?
If you’re serious about building a brand, you should certainly do a trademark search.
A lot of business owners think that if they do a search on their own, that’s enough. But that’s one of the most common mistakes when it comes to trademarks. And it often leads to expensive problems down the road.
But here’s a secret:
To fully make sure your brand name is good to go, you need to make sure that there are not any trademarks that are similar.
So, not just the same. But similar.
The only real way to do that is to work with a trademark attorney to get a professional search and clearance done. Pretty much every company that’s serious about building and scaling a brand makes this investment at the beginning.
If you have questions about doing a trademark search, schedule a consultation with us to talk about it.
How long does the trademark registration process take?
The trademark process can take a while, but if you start early you can protect the rights to your name immediately.
We file our clients’ trademark registration quickly – but the trademark office can take up to a year to complete the process. Luckily, we are there to handle the entire process and respond to the questions that they usually have. This lets you focus on more important parts of your business.
Because the trademark process can take a while, it’s something that you should get started on as soon as possible. You don’t want to wait until something goes wrong to start the process.
Talk to us when you’re ready to get going.
What does it cost to register my trademark?
Like anything else in running a business, protecting your brand requires an investment upfront.
Our clients enjoy the peace of mind that comes from our all-inclusive, flat-fee trademark packages. That means that we charge the same price and don’t have unpredictable hourly billing like a lot of other firms. The price is the price.
Go here to learn more about what we charge for trademark search and registration.
And once you have had a chance to look that over, schedule a call with us to make sure you’re choosing the right option.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes, we have partnered with Affirm to offer easy-to-use payment plans that allow you to take up to a year to pay.
Should I just use the cheap service that I found online to register my trademark?
You get what you pay for. It’s especially true when it comes to trademarks.
Many online services purport to offer trademark registration when what they do is far less. These services are cheap because they do the easy part (filing the documents) but can’t offer you any legal advice on what the right strategy is for your business.
And they tell you that in the fine print. Most of these services hide the fact that they are not a law firm in tiny type at the bottom of their website. That means that if you have questions or problems, they can’t help you.
While it might be tempting to cut corners and go the cheap route, it often leads to more problems and expenses.
What if I need help with something that's not a trademark?
When it comes to figuring out legal stuff for your creative business, you can turn to us.
We help a lot of stuff beyond trademarks: business setup, contracts, and ongoing support. To learn more, simply go here.
What if I filed my own trademark but got an Office Action?
If you’ve already filed a trademark application (either by yourself or with another attorney) and you got an Office Action, we can help you.
Most trademark applications get an Office Action. Some are serious and others are easy to deal with.
However, they should almost always be handled by an attorney to avoid mistakes or delays.
Schedule a consultation with us to discuss your Office Action.
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