Trademark

A trademark is a word, name, symbol, logo, or design that identifies the source of goods or services and distinguishes them from competitors. Trademark rights protect brand identity in the marketplace and prevent consumer confusion.

Rights accrue from actual use in commerce (common-law rights, limited to the geographic market) or from federal registration with the USPTO (nationwide rights and stronger remedies). Stronger marks, coined, arbitrary, or suggestive, are easier to register and protect than descriptive marks.

For California brands, we run clearance searches before adoption, file federal applications, respond to office actions, monitor for infringement, and enforce rights through cease-and-desist letters, UDRP filings, and litigation. A trademark is often a business's most valuable single asset.