The Supplemental Register is a trap for the weak

If you have a trademark application pending before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, you may have received a Supplemental Register advisory.  This advisory is an option to amend your application for registration on the Supplemental Register.  But what is the Supplemental Register, and what happens if you accept this option?  Understanding the Supplemental […]

Decoding the Lanham Act

This is more of a reference guide than a blog post, but it will be one of the most helpful resources you will encounter.  The Lanham Act is the series of statutes governing federal trademark law.  Also known as the Trademark Act of 1946, it was named after its chief proponent: Frederick “Fritz” Garland Lanham, […]

Federal trademark application filing bases

One of the first considerations a federal trademark applicant will have to make is what the filing basis for their application should be.  This article briefly discusses those filing bases for applicants who have decided to file their trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). There are five filing bases that […]

A double entendre might make your trademark protectable

If this article wasn’t filled with double-entendres, it would be no pun.  So, I’ve added sum for a humorous effect.  I’ll do my best to keep most of my jokes in my back pocket, butt beware. Double-entendres are good things when it comes to trademark law.  They produce secondary meaning, which means they make a […]

What is an office action?

If you are seeking trademark registration before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), you may have received an office action.  To understand what an office action is and how it affects your trademark application, you must understand a trademark application’s journey from initial application submission to issuance of a registration certificate. The life […]