Week

Fourteen
During the fourteenth week of my internship, I help research the details of obtaining a trademark on
behalf of a client. I also reviewed the Help a Reporter Out (HARO) listserv, making note of which queries
could be of use to the Van Eperen team.

HARO


Trademark Research

Why you might need a trademark

A trademark protects words, phrases, symbols, or designs (or a combination of these items). If the logo in
question is used to distinguish the goods/services of one company from another, its a good idea to
trademark it.

If you dont trademark the logo, you run the risk of another company using the trademark in the same
industry, which would confuse consumers looking for your company. You can trademark a logo at any
time, but the applications for a trademark differ between logos already in use and those you intend to use
in the future. A trademark attorney can help you navigate the application process and advise you on
whether your logo actually counts as something that can be trademarked (not all words, phrases, etc. can
be trademarked in a given industry).

Timeline

Its hard to predict how long it will take to register a trademark because of the abundance of application
steps. However, total processing time can take anywhere from 6 months to a year or longer, with most
applications processing completely in a little less than a year.

The trademark process:

A trademark typically protects brand names and logos used on goods and services. To trademark the
logo, youll need to:
1. Prepare the trademark application
i.
Identify the logo, or mark, format
ii.
Identify the goods/services associated with the mark
iii.
Search the USPTO database to make sure the mark isnt too similar to other marks used on
related goods/services
iv.
Establish your filing basis (whether the logo is already in use or if you intent to use it in the
future)
v.
Consider hiring a trademark attorney to help with the trademark process
2. Prepare a trademark application (then check the status of your application every 3-4 months)
3. After you receive the green light on the application, youll work with an assigned USPTO
examining attorney, who reviews the application to determine if it complies with intricate
trademark rules (this portion of the process can take several months)
4. You will then receive approval or denial of the application
5. Within two months of the approval, the USPTO issues a registration, at which point youll have to
turn in maintenance paperwork and monitor the registration status on a yearly basis