Trademark Attorney Services
for Los Angeles CA
Companies.

Los Angeles, California Businesses Use Cohn Legal for Trademark Services

Cohn Legal, PLLC specializes in intellectual property protection and corporate law for startups, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Serving clients in Los Angeles, California, our trademark attorneys absolutely love helping companies protect their brand names and logos. On the most fundamental level, our goal is to provide our clients with exceptional legal guidance and support at cost-effective rates.

Top 6 Questions Los Angeles Businesses Have About Obtaining a Trademark

Am I required to hire a U.S.-licensed attorney to represent me at the USPTO?

If you’re a trademark applicant or registrant located within the United States or its territories, you actually don’t need to be represented by an attorney. You can deal with the USPTO yourself. However, the USPTO does strongly recommend that all trademark registrants hire a U.S.-licensed attorney to help guide them through the trademark application process.

If you are a trademark applicant located in a country outside of the United States, then you are required to be represented at the USPTO by an attorney who is licensed to practice law in the United States.

How can a trademark attorney help me enforce my trademark rights?

A trademark attorney can help you enforce your trademark rights in many ways. First of all, a trademark attorney can help you file a trademark application completely and correctly so that you get your mark registered as soon as possible.

Secondly, your attorney can monitor the market for anyone who may be infringing on your mark. If someone is infringing on your mark, then your attorney can provide counsel and represent you in court. An attorney can also help ensure that your trademark renewal applications are filed on time so that you never lose your mark.

Will the USPTO let me know if a third party is infringing on my registered trademark?

The USPTO does not take responsibility for policing instances of trademark infringement. If they did that, then they would have to keep track of millions of trademarks, which is unfeasible. The only role of the USPTO is to register your mark at the federal level. It is entirely your responsibility as the owner of the trademark to scan the market for infringement and take legal action when necessary. Most trademark attorneys, including Cohn Legal, offer trademark monitoring services and will alert you when possible infringement occurs and provide advice on how to handle it.

What is the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board?

The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) exists to help resolve conflicts among trademark owners in these instances:

• A third party believes your existing or pending trademark is harming their business and should be cancelled.
• You want to appeal an examining attorney’s decision to reject your trademark application.
• You want to challenge a third party’s existing trademark or pending trademark.

All of these proceedings have specific procedures and strict deadlines that must be adhered to. Your best bet is to hire a trademark attorney to represent you.

When should I register my trademark?

As soon as you have an idea for a name, logo, design, etc., then contact a trademark attorney to start the trademark registration process. This process will help reveal if any other business owner has already registered something similar to what your desired trademark is. If it turns out that the mark you want is already taken, it can be frustrating. But it’s better to find out sooner rather than later. Once you know you have a unique trademark, then you can invest with confidence.

What should I register first: my business name or my logo?

Any experienced trademark attorney will tell you to register all of your trademarks at the same time using separate applications. Some business owners try to save money by registering just the logo if it contains the name of their business. However, that may backfire because if you ever want to change the design of your logo, then you risk losing protection for the name of your business as well. When in doubt, consult with a trademark attorney who can advise you on an appropriate trademark strategy.

Why Trademark Registration Matters for Los Angeles Businesses

Los Angeles has long been a hub for commerce, making it an attractive location for entrepreneurs and new business owners. Many young business owners in the Bay Area have big dreams, but limited funds to launch their new venture. They may be tempted to skip the trademark registration process in order to save some money. However, that usually turns out to be a costly mistake.

Consider this scenario: Devon is a bike enthusiast and loves the Bay Area. He decides to combine his passions into a new business. He moves forward with opening up a bike rental shop. He’ll rent bikes to tourists and also conduct guided bike tours. Devon comes up with the perfect name, Bay Area Bikes.

A friend asks Devon if he’s going to trademark the name, but Devon says he’s got too much work to do and he’ll worry about that later. He gets to work ordering signage for his store, adding his logo to his fleet of bikes, creating a website, and printing maps of the city with his logo on it.

Devon is in business for 4 months and he’s doing quite well. He’s thinking that he may hire an employee to help conduct tours but then gets some upsetting news. There is a custom bike shop called Bay Area Bikes opening up near Devon’s shop in the next month. The custom bike shop secured the trademark to their name a year ago when they started planning their venture. They send Devon a cease-and-desist letter and even threaten legal action.

Now Devon must shut down his new business, create a new name, and rebrand everything. That’s an expensive and time-consuming proposition. Plus, he’ll likely lose many of the customers he’s gained.

It’s never too early to register your trademark. If you have questions about trademark registration, then contact the attorneys at Cohn Legal for a no-cost trademark consultation.

** Cohn Legal, PLLC is not located in Los Angeles and yet it can assist businesses from California in registering a federal Trademark because trademarks are governed under federal law.

Trademarks Services for Los Angeles 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