You’ve spent years building your brand. You’ve got the handle on every platform, the LLC, maybe even the blue checkmark. Here’s the question nobody asks until it’s too late: does any of that actually protect your brand name?

“Should I Stay or Should I File?” is a five-question divination that takes about five minutes and tells you exactly where your trademark protection stands right now.

It covers the three things that matter most:

1. whether you have a federal trademark registration (and why an LLC, a domain, or a pending application doesn’t count),
2. whether your registration covers what you actually do online (content creators and e-commerce sellers, this one is for you), and
3. whether your registration exactly matches your current handle—because differences create gaps, and gaps are what trademark trolls look for.

The checklist gives you a results score at the end: either you’re in good shape, you have some gaps to address, or you’re operating with significant exposure and need to act. It won’t replace a consultation, but it will tell you whether you need one.

Free to download. No law degree required.

I’m Julie King, an IP and patent attorney with over 25 years of experience helping creators and small business owners protect what they’ve built. I made this free because trademark confusion is expensive, and the first step shouldn’t be.

Ready to fix what you find? Book a consultation at kingpatentlaw.com.

This checklist is for general educational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not form an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary by state and contract terms vary widely. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney. Julie King | King Patent Law, PLLC | 301 N Neil St Ste 400, Champaign IL 61820. Contains attorney advertising material.