- What are the benefits of trademark registration?
- How does the trademark registration process work?
- How much does registering a trademark cost?
- Are there reasons why my trademark might not be registered?
- Isn’t using LegalZoom and other online trademark registration services less expensive than you?
- Will my trademark registration expire?
- How much time will it take to register my trademark?
- What’s Becker Law’s process for registering trademarks?
- Is it necessary to perform a full trademark search?
- I haven’t started using my trademark. Can I still file a trademark application?
- What about international trademark registration?
Q: What are the benefits of trademark registration?
Your brand represents your business’s image and reputation. A trademark is a part of your brand that legally protects those aspects of your brand unique to your business. Trademarks help prevent competitors from creating brands that may confuse the public as to whether you or your competitors are the source or origin of your goods or services. Registering your trademark can help you prevent other people from using brands that would be confused with yours. Please review our Intellectual Property e-Guide for more information.
Q: How does the trademark registration process work?
Please review our Intellectual Property Law e-Guide for an overview of the trademark registration process.
Q: How much does registering a trademark cost?
Expenses for registering a trademark include attorney fees and government filing fees. There are also maintenance fees for ensuring your trademark continues to be registered.
Q: Are there reasons why my trademark might not be registered?
Yes. There could be several issues preventing your trademark from being registered. We’ll work to find and fix those issues so you can move forward with your registration.
Q: Isn’t using LegalZoom and other online trademark registration services less expensive than you?
Maybe. Although LegalZoom and any similar online service, may have lower initial fees, these fees apply to only a portion of the trademark registration process. These services don’t offer legal advice on trademark registration, so if you have problems with your registration later in the process, they won’t be able to help you.
Q: Will my trademark registration expire?
Your trademark registration should last as long as you’re properly using and maintaining your trademark. For example, you’ll need to periodically file documents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to let them know you’re still using your trademark. If you do, your trademark should continue.
Q: How much time will it take to register my trademark?
The trademark registration process generally takes six to nine months but can take much longer if there are any issues preventing registration that need to be resolved.
Q: What’s Becker Law’s process for registering trademarks?
We’ll send you a Trademark Search and Registration Questionnaire that you’ll use to tell us about your company and your trademark. We’ll use your responses to prepare trademark searches and/or any trademark applications (depending on the On-Demand Trademark package you select). We’ll track your filed trademark application as it progresses through the USPTO, respond to any inquiries and non-substantive Office Actions from the USPTO trademark examiners, and notify you about any other issues that may arise during the process. “Non-substantive” Office Actions means those concerning entity status or citizenship of the applicant, identification of goods or services, improper specimens, or improper dates of use. Office Actions of any other nature including, without limitation, refusals to register, are not covered.
Q: Is it necessary to perform a full trademark search?
We strongly recommend performing a full trademark search. A full trademark search is key to avoiding problems that could prevent registration of your trademark. Although searching Google or the USPTO’s trademark database may identify trademarks that clearly conflict with yours, this search won’t identify the more subtle conflicts that could prevent registration of your trademark that a full trademark search is likely to reveal.
Q: I haven’t started using my trademark. Can I still file a trademark application?
You can file an “intent to use” trademark application for trademarks you haven’t started using yet. Our Intellectual Property Law e-Guide gives you more insight about how an intent to use trademark application works.
Q: Should I file an international trademark registration?
Registering your trademark with the USPTO gives you trademark rights in the U.S. only. So, if you plan to do business outside the U.S., you should consider international registration of your trademark. Read more about what this involves.