When clients contact me about registering a trademark, we always discuss whether they want to protect the name of their business or product, their logo, or both. Many clients assume that registering a trademark protects both the name and the…
Clients frequently ask right before or after filing a trademark application if they can start using the ® symbol? The answer is no, not yet. The reason is worth understanding, because using it too early can actually cause problems down…
Here’s a question I get more often than you’d think, usually from clients who make a part that ends up buried inside someone else’s (or their own) larger product: If my trademark is only used on a component that lives…
When filing a U.S. trademark application based on a foreign application or registration, whether under Section 44 of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property or through the Madrid Protocol, a common question arises: Do the goods and…
Having personally worked with a venture capital firm in the past few years, I’ve come to understand that VC firms handle marketing in different ways. Some are totally indifferent or disinterested. Some endlessly promote themselves. Some seek to market both…
If you own a registered trademark, you have already taken the most important step toward protecting your brand. However, trademark registration is not a final destination. You have to monitor your trademark to stop infringement, keep it from becoming diluted,…
When filing a U.S. trademark application or maintaining an existing registration, applicants and owners must meet specific identification requirements. One requirement that is a subtle trap for novice filers is the domicile address requirement. Examiners are trained to search and…
There are several different types of trademark applications. US trademark applications can be based on foreign trademark applications or registrations, and they can be based entirely on domestic use. An in-use trademark application is probably what most people think of…
Family offices today operate far beyond quiet wealth management. Many build or acquire operating companies, launch investment vehicles, establish philanthropic programs, sponsor funds, or offer advisory services that place them squarely in the public eye. As these activities grow, one…
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is largely protected from the government shutdown but is not immune from other plans that have been brewing for a long time. In my circle, there has been a lot of talk about…