Many small business owners try to do a search themselves. And look, I understand it. Bootstrapping is often part of the entrepreneurial journey. But in this case, what you don’t know can hurt you.
DIY searches often miss the following:
- Spelling variations, phonetic equivalents, or foreign language equivalents;
- Legal nuances of identical or similar marks registered for the same or similar types of goods or services, and how similar they can be without being a problem;
- Unregistered but enforceable common law marks; and
- Other important potential problems.
A quick search in the USPTO database won’t catch the landscaping business in your state that’s been using a nearly identical name for services similar to yours for 10 years but has no registration, or the New York-based coaching company with a federal registration that sounds just like yours but has a different spelling.
If you’re launching, growing, or just unsure whether your business/brand name or your logo are truly protected, let’s talk. I help entrepreneurs across the U.S. make smart, legally sound decisions about names and logos.
If you’d like to consult with me, you can use my contact form or book a consultation online at kingpatentlaw.com or by calling my office at 312-596-2222 or 217-714-8558.
Please check out the other posts and pages on my website for more information on trademarks and other intellectual property and business law issues.
