Trademark Law

A trademark is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States for names, phrases, symbols, logos and unique sounds. Trademarks and service marks are used to assist consumers in identifying goods and services. The more recognizable a brand, the more likely a consumer is to purchase it and maintain brand loyalty. This is why federal trademark registration should be one of the first tasks any new business completes.

Contrary to popular belief, the registration of a business in any given state, the ownership of a domain name and the creation of a social media handle does not offer federal protection. Only a federally registered trademark can protect your name and brand across all 50 states.

Monica begins the trademark process for each client with a formal and thorough clearance search. She uses this to ensure that not only will her clients’ proposed trademarks not infringe upon another’s prior rights, but also to provide a very detailed analysis of the risk level that may be involved in the attempted registration of each mark. If Monica’s analysis scales the risk too high, you may save a lot of time and money in the prosecution of a mark that is not eligible for federal registration, and look to other options.

Monica’s trademark practice includes several services, including: