Buffalo, New York Businesses Use Cohn Legal for Trademark Services

*Cohn Legal, PLLC is managed by Partner Abe Cohn, A trademark attorney licensed to practice law in the State of New York.

Cohn Legal, PLLC is a boutique IP Firm headquartered in New York City. Our New York trademark lawyers operate with the singular goal of acting as your legal consigliere, continuously striving to provide you with the best legal advice and strategies to protect your interests.

Top 10 Questions New York Businesses Have About Obtaining a Trademark

What is a Trademark?

A trademark is a word, logo, slogan, design, or even a sound that is attached to a product or service. That trademark identifies to the consumer who is producing or selling the product or service. A trademark registered with the USPTO comes with valuable protections. If you find that a third party is using your mark or something similar in any state in the U.S., you’ll have the right to take legal action.

When should I register my trademark?

As soon as you have an idea for a name, logo, design, etc., then start the trademark registration process. The trademark registration process will help reveal if any entity has already registered something similar to what your desired trademark is. If that’s the case, it may be frustrating, but it’s better to find out before you invest in marketing materials, signage, product labels, etc. Once you settle on a logo that is unique, then you can invest in your brand with confidence.

My competitor didn’t trademark their logo. Can I register it for myself?

You can certainly try to trademark it for yourself, but it’s not guaranteed that you will get it. Keep in mind that even though the mark has not been federally registered yet, it may be protected under “common law” rules, which gives businesses certain rights to a mark if they’ve been using it commercially but have yet to register it with the USPTO. Speak to a trademark attorney about the advantages and disadvantages of trying to register a competitor’s mark.

Does my business need more than one trademark?

Most businesses will need to submit more than one trademark application. For example, you may want to obtain one trademark for your business name, one for your logo, and one for the name of your product. The trademark attorneys at Cohn Legal can help you determine how many trademark applications you’ll need to submit.

What does “used in inter-state commerce” mean?

In order to obtain a registered trademark, the specific trademark must be attached to a product or a service that has been sold across state lines or is offered in several states. If you’ve only sold your product in one state, then you’ll have a hard time getting it trademarked.

How much you must sell isn’t clearly defined by the USPTO. Selling one t-shirt to a friend in another state likely won’t count as inter-state commerce. However, selling 100 t-shirts to residents of two states other than your own would likely fulfill the inter-state commerce requirement. Again, the rules are ambiguous, so it’s best to speak to a trademark attorney who can give you clear guidance.

What is the USPTO?

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the federal office that reviews trademark applications for eligibility and maintains records of existing and pending trademarks. Contrary to popular belief, they do not enforce trademark rights. It’s your responsibility as the owner of the trademark to monitor the market and protect your rights to your trademark.

What is TEAS?

TEAS stands for the Trademark Electronic Application System. TEAS is available 24/7 for you to submit your trademark application and pay the associate fees online.

What is a trademark Office Action?

An Office Action is a letter from the USPTO that lists the reasons why your trademark application was rejected. If you receive an office action, then contact a trademark attorney as soon as possible. Your attorney can help you determine what the next steps are.

What is the Official Gazette?

The USPTO publishes the Official Gazette (OG) every Tuesday. It includes information about trademarks and patents that have been approved. Once a trademark is published in the OG, a third-party has 30 days to come forward and oppose the trademark. If no one opposes the mark, then it is officially registered. If you have a registered trademark, then regularly monitoring the OG is one way to make sure that no competitors are infringing on your trademark rights.

What is a specimen?

A specimen is simply a sample of your trademark. It could be a product label, a website screenshot, a photo of your packaging, marketing materials, etc. Consult a trademark attorney if you are unsure about what you should submit to the USPTO as a specimen.

Additional Information on Trademark Registration for Buffalo Businesses.

Buffalo’s long history of entrepreneurship and independent spirit still exists today among its many business owners. In fact, business is booming in Buffalo and ambitious individuals are starting new ventures in the Buffalo area. However, these young entrepreneurs should make sure that they hire a trademark attorney to help them product their brand and their business.

Consider this scenario: Daisy just moved to Buffalo after working for years to develop a vegan protein powder. She plans on selling it directly to consumers through her website and also has long-terms plans to have it sold in grocery stores, gyms, and smoothie shops.

Daisy creates a business and website to sell her new protein powder. To save money she trademarks only her business name, Plant Energy, through a “do-it-yourself” website.

While Daisy did save some money filing for only one trademark, she soon learned of health food store chain in the area selling a protein supplement called Planet Energy. The names are too similar and Daisy receives a cease-and-desist letter.

Now she has to stop selling her product, update her website, and create new marketing materials, which costs significantly more than if she had consulted with a trademark attorney right from the start.

By working with an experienced trademark attorney, businesses can feel confident that their brand is protected. At Cohn Legal, we are ready to assist you with securing the federal rights to your trademark. Contact Cohn Legal today to learn more about our trademark registration and monitoring services.

Trademarks Services for Buffalo Businesses

• Trademark Search Services
• Trademark Application Filing
• Trademark Infringement Defense
• Trademark a Name
• Trademark a Phrase
• Trademark Cease and Desist Letters
• Trademark Office Action Response
• Trademark Abandonment