Business owners in Chicago, Illinois often seek guidance on how to monitor, maintain, and enforce their trademark rights, including filing required maintenance documents, watching for potential infringers, and taking appropriate legal action if necessary. To maintain and enforce their trademark rights associated with a trademark registration issued by the USPTO, a business owner should undertake the […]

Business owners in Chicago, Illinois often want to know the expected timeframe for registering a trademark with the United States Patent & Trademark office (USPTO), from initial filing to receiving the federal trademark registration certificate. The timeframe for the USPTO trademark registration process, from submitting the trademark application to receiving the trademark registration certificate issued by […]

Business owners in Chicago, Illinois frequently inquire about the steps involved in registering a trademark, including searching, application preparation, United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) examination, publication, and potential opposition proceedings. The federal trademark registration process with the USPTO involves several steps: The federal trademark registration process can be complex, and it is advisable to […]

Business owners in Chicago, Illinois often seek our guidance on how to select a distinctive and protectable trademark that minimizes the risk of confusion with existing marks and represents their brand identity effectively. When selecting a strong trademark for registration with the USPTO, business owners should consider the following factors: Taking these factors into account when […]

The short answer is, yes.  Even if a business owner intends to use their trademark solely within the State of Illinois (intrastate), it is still advisable to conduct both federal and state trademark searches for several reasons: In summary, even if a trademark is initially intended for use only in Illinois (or only in Chicago), conducting […]

If the use of your trademark is merely intrastate (i.e., within the State of Illinois or within the city of Chicago), you can apply for state registration with the Illinois Secretary of State’s Trademark Division.  A state trademark registration offers added protection to the common law rights associated with the trademark.  The state trademark registration is […]