Trademark Registration

One of the most common trademark questions business owners ask is also one of the most understandable: “Do I still need a trademark if I already formed an LLC, bought the domain name, and claimed the[...]

Selecting a trademark is a critical business decision. Companies often grapple with how to name their product or service in a way that attracts customers but also qualifies for trademark protection. One common approach is to[...]

Geographic trademarks have traditionally been of great importance for many business owners.  This is especially true for business owners selling food products, non-alcoholic beverages, and alcoholic beverages, such as beers, wines and spirits.  Disclosure of the[...]

From a trademark perspective, nothing serves as a stronger identifier than an individual’s personal name.  But does this make personal names appropriate for trademark registration?  Trademark law has always treated personal names differently.  In the past,[...]

Since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp was removed from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) list of Schedule I substances and will be treated the same as any other commodity crop.  As such, when[...]

YES!  As of May 2017, Amazon’s Brand Registry program requires every brand owner to hold a registered (or pending) federal trademark that is associated with the product being sold in the Amazon marketplace. Amazon Brand Registry[...]

In our competitive free economy, copying and imitating business concepts and market trends in the public domain is the general rule, protected intellectual property (e.g., trademark, copyright, patent) is the exception. Copying and Imitation as Fair[...]

Trademarks promote economic efficiency in the marketplace in at least two ways: (1) trademarks encourage businesses to create, manufacture and promote quality products, and (2) trademarks reduce customer costs related to shopping and making purchasing decisions. [...]

Business owners and entrepreneurs alike should understand the importance of holding a federal trademark registration for a service or product.  Not only is a registered trademark on the federal principal register an extremely valuable asset, the[...]

This is Part 3 of a 6 Part Blog from out Charleston Trademark Attorney. Past Posts: Part 1, Part 2 Part 3: Overbroad Goods and Services Descriptions United States trademark law is unique and different compared to trademark law[...]