·12 min read
Intent to Use vs. Use in Commerce: How to Choose Your Trademark Filing Basis
Intent to use trademark (Section 1b) vs. use in commerce (Section 1a): how to choose the right filing basis. Priority dates, costs, and common mistakes.
C
Read
#Trademark Filing
Filing strategies and best practices
Claire Ashford
·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.
C
Read
·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.
C
Read
·17 min read
How to Trademark a Name: The Complete USPTO Filing Guide
Learn how to trademark a name step by step. Covers clearance searches, TEAS Plus filing, fees, office actions, and the full USPTO registration timeline.
D
Read
·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.
C
Read
·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.
C
Read
·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.
C
Read
·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.
C
Read
·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.
C
Read
·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.
C
Read
·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.
C
Read
·12 min read
The Practitioner's Guide to Global Trademark Filing in 2026
A data-backed guide to multi-jurisdiction trademark filing — with real fee tables, Madrid vs. direct filing analysis, a worked five-country cost example, and the Nice Classification 13th Edition changes you need to plan around.
D
Read
·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.
C
Read
·10 min read
Nice Classification 2026: What Changed, What Moved, and What You Need To Do
The 13th Edition of the Nice Classification took effect January 1, 2026, bringing the largest structural changes in a decade. Eyewear moved to Class 10, AIaaS landed in Class 42, and essential oils split across four classes. Here is every major reclassification, who is affected, and exactly how to update your search and filing workflows.
D
Read