·11 min read
Statement of Use: What It Is, What It Costs, and When to File One
A statement of use converts an intent-to-use application into a trademark registration. What it requires, what it costs, and the mistakes that cause abandonment.
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C
Claire Ashford
Writer
IP legal journalist who somehow gets lawyers to voluntarily share vendor content.
·11 min read
Trademark Renewal: Deadlines, Fees, and What Happens If You Miss One
Trademark renewal at the USPTO requires filings at years 5-6 and every 10 years. Fees ($325-$850/class), deadlines, grace periods, and step-by-step filing instructions.
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·7 min read
Trademark vs Service Mark: What's the Difference?
Trademark vs service mark: one protects goods, the other services. Learn what the law says, which symbols to use (TM vs SM), and whether it matters for filing.
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·13 min read
Trademark Dilution: What It Is, How It Differs from Infringement, and Why Only Famous Marks Qualify
Trademark dilution protects famous marks from blurring and tarnishment, even without confusion. Learn how it works and how it differs from infringement.
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·16 min read
Cybersquatting and UDRP: How Domain Disputes Actually Work (and How to Win Them)
WIPO handled 6,192 UDRP cases in 2024. Complainants win 85-90%. Learn how cybersquatting works, how to file a UDRP complaint, and when to litigate instead.
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·18 min read
Trademark Monitoring: What Counts as Adequate Protection (and What Doesn't)
Trademark monitoring is what separates a $15K opposition from $750K litigation. Coverage scope, tools, response workflows, and a 6-step strategy that holds up.
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·13 min read
Trademark Application: What You Need Before Filing
Filing a trademark application? The 6-step prep checklist: clearance search, filing basis, goods and services, Nice classes, specimens, and common mistakes.
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·13 min read
What Is a Trademark? What It Protects, What It Costs, and When You Need One
What is a trademark? A mark that identifies the source of goods or services. Learn what trademarks protect, what they cost, and when your business needs one.
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·19 min read
Trademark Infringement: What It Is, How Courts Test for It, and What to Do Next
Trademark infringement costs $375K+ to litigate. Learn what it means legally, how courts test for it, the penalties, and what to do if you're on either side.
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·15 min read
Trademark vs Patent vs Copyright: What Each Protects, What Each Costs, and Which You Actually Need
Trademark vs copyright vs patent: real costs ($65 to $20K+), timelines, and durations compared. Learn which IP protection your business actually needs.
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·15 min read
How to Trademark a Phrase: A Complete Guide
Learn how to trademark a phrase at the USPTO. Covers distinctiveness tests, filing steps, $250-$350 fees, and the mistakes that get applications refused.
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·13 min read
How Long Does a Trademark Last? Duration, Renewal Deadlines, and What Happens If You Miss One
How long does a trademark last? US marks last 10 years but need maintenance at year 5. Learn deadlines, fees, grace periods, and what a missed filing costs.
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·16 min read
How to Trademark a Logo: What Changes When Your Mark Is a Design
How to trademark a logo at the USPTO: design search codes, specimen rules, composite vs. separate filing, and the mistakes that sink design mark applications.
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·18 min read
How Much Does a Trademark Cost? The Real Numbers for 2026
Trademark cost in 2026: $350/class government fee, $1,000-$2,500 for attorney help, plus renewal fees. Full breakdown of every cost from filing to maintenance.
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·23 min read
How to Trademark a Name: What the Process Costs, How Long It Takes, and Where Applications Fail
How to trademark a name at the USPTO: filing steps, $250-$350 per class fees, 12-18 month timeline, and the mistakes that get 20% of applications refused.
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·22 min read
How Trademark Registration Works: From Clearance Search to Registration Certificate
Trademark registration at the USPTO explained step by step: clearance searches, filing bases, examination, costs, and timelines. Data-backed 2026 guide.
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·20 min read
How to Respond to a Trademark Office Action: A Guide for Every Refusal Type
How to respond to USPTO trademark office actions — covering Section 2(d), 2(e)(1), specimen failures, and identification issues with deadlines.
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·23 min read
The DuPont Factors: How Courts Decide Likelihood of Confusion
Guide to the 13 DuPont factors courts use to assess trademark likelihood of confusion, with real case examples and examiner weighting patterns.
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·17 min read
Protecting Your Brand from Becoming Generic: Lessons from Aspirin to Xerox
How trademarks die by becoming generic — with cases from Aspirin to Google, the legal standard, policing obligations, and monitoring strategies.
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·16 min read
When to Negotiate a Coexistence Agreement Instead of Fighting
A practical guide to trademark coexistence agreements — when they beat litigation, key terms to negotiate, and real-world examples.
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·17 min read
Naked Licensing: The Silent Trademark Killer
How naked licensing destroys trademarks — covering landmark cases, the quality control requirement, franchise implications, and practical frameworks.
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·16 min read
Trade Dress Protection: Beyond Logos and Names
Guide to trade dress protection — the distinctiveness and non-functionality tests, famous examples from Coca-Cola to Louboutin, and registration strategies.
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·18 min read
TTAB Proceedings: The Complete Guide to Oppositions, Cancellations, and Appeals
Complete guide to TTAB proceedings — opposition and cancellation timelines, costs, success rates, settlement strategies, and trial procedures.
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·21 min read
Proving Acquired Distinctiveness: How to Build and Document Secondary Meaning
How to prove acquired distinctiveness for trademarks — the six types of evidence, Section 2(f) claims, the five-year shortcut, and real case studies.
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