Henry Law Firm is Your Trademark Authority™
Registration is the beginning of protecting your trademark rights
Registration stakes your claim.
The purpose of registration is notice – it gives fair warning to everyone in the market of your rights. Accordingly, effective trademark strategy includes not only selecting a conflict-free trademark, but also registering that mark with the appropriate state or federal agency.
Avoiding conflict avoids unnecessary expense.
Registration protects you from the misuse of your brand – but it also protects others from the misuse of their brands.
We recommend a consultation at the outset of your business development – before you have invested in a prospective brand – to be sure the identity you want to build remains free to use. This conflict clearance helps you avoid costly mistakes in branding. Mistakes that can add up in legal fees to defend infringement cases brought against you. Early consultation helps avoid complications and the expenses involved in changing your business name or marks after you have invested time and capital in building them.
Helping you approach your branding from the perspective of ensuring legal protection and trademark law compliance minimizes consumer confusion with your brand while at the same time avoiding legal complications for you. It is an important but technical process, and one that Henry Law can help you successfully navigate.
How long does it take?
The registration process generally takes about one year, but during that timeframe a trademark user can typically continue using the brand so long as the trademark search does not return a conflict. A trademark registration is a critical step in protecting your brand.
Federal Trademarks vs. State Trademarks
There are two kinds of trademark registrations – federal and state. Most people know of the trademark registration issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, known as a federal registration. This is the strongest form of trademark protection. A federal registration protects your trademark in all 50 states and is superior to any state registration.
There are also state-level trademarks for businesses who only conduct business on a local level. These can be important for service providers who sell only in a limited geographic area with no plans for expansion.