Trademark Registration

A lot of business owners believe they have protected their brand because they formed an LLC, bought the matching domain name, and claimed the social media handles. I understand why. Those steps feel official. You paid[...]

If you’ve ever tried to register a federal trademark and the USPTO told you it’s “too descriptive,” you’re not alone. Many business owners pick names that explain what they do (which is great for marketing) but[...]

If you’ve ever stared at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) trademark application and wondered, “What class do my products or services go in—and what exactly should I write to describe them?”, you’re not[...]

Most buyers don’t read certification standards manuals—but they do look for seals. A certification trademark is the shortcut that tells customers “this meets an independent standard.” When run well, certification programs lift entire industries: they help[...]

In our free market economy, public domain (i.e., an invention, creative work, commercial symbol, or any other creation that is not protected by through trademarks, copyrights, or patents) is the general rule and intellectual property is[...]

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office or USPTO) is setting or adjusting certain trademark fees, as authorized by the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA), as amended by the Study of Underrepresented Classes Chasing Engineering[...]

From an economic standpoint, a trademark is a source identifier that allows consumers to identify goods or services that have been successful (or have a good reputation) and reject goods or services that have failed (or[...]

For over the last couple decades, there has been a movement where all athletic teams and programs which use a nickname/mascot that refers to any Native American tribe to change their name/mascot. Many teams throughout history[...]

Our Chicago trademark lawyers cannot stress enough the importance of new business owners and entrepreneurs in holding a federal trademark registration for their service or product.  Not only is a registered trademark on the federal principal[...]

Part 1: Trademark Priority and Trademark Distinctiveness US trademark law and the trademark registration process is very much different compared to trademark law in foreign countries. Whether a entrepreneur, inventor or US business is seeking to[...]