The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a final rule that will adjust trademark and patent fees in 2025. The USPTO has set or adjusted 433 patent fees (effective January 19) and 28 trademark fees (effective January 18). The highlights are summarized below.

Complete information on the…

Thanksgiving is filled with traditions – sharing what you are thankful for, enjoying family recipes, playing games together, and watching football. Naturally, though, traditions evolve with new ideas. This year, you may think of a better or more creative way to prepare your pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Can you protect…

Increasingly, bad actors will exploit information found in publicly available United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) records to engage in fraudulent schemes. When applying to register a trademark, be mindful that information provided to the USPTO may become part of the public record. To avoid falling victim, it is…

What is a trademark clearance search and why is it needed?

A trademark clearance search is the process of screening a proposed trademark (e.g., word, logo, phrase, etc.) to determine if the mark is available for use and/or registration (such as at the federal level at the U.S. Trademark Office).…

One may think that if an image appears online, it is fair game to copy that image for your own use. This practice, however, can expose you and your company to liability for copyright infringement. A timely filed copyright registration is a powerful asset, as it allows the owner to…

IP Law Clerk Charlotte Godart contributed to this blog post.

In March of this year, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the U.S. Copyright Office submitted a report to Congress with findings on the intellectual property issues raised by non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The congressional report concluded that no new…

Crowdfunding is commonly used by inventors and entrepreneurs looking to market new products, as well as “wantrepreneurs” in need of capital to support their ideas. Crowdfunding is widely popular due to the ease and efficiency it provides to generate and access funds while simultaneously promoting the project and building hype.…

Being a copyright owner comes with numerous rights and benefits in relation to the copyrighted work. Known colloquially as the “bundle of sticks,” a copyright owner has the exclusive rights to the reproduction, derivation, distribution, public performance, public display, and digital transmission of the work. If someone unlawfully infringes on…

With so many whiskey options currently on the shelf to choose from and new whiskeys continually being released, how do distilleries keep their edge and distinguish themselves from competitors? Sometimes, it’s not so clear because the answer lies in trade secrets. Trade secrets include information that is not generally known…

Branding is critical for businesses looking to build connections with customers and brand recognition in the market. A well-executed brand strategy often drives brand awareness and builds brand recognition by ensuring consistent design across all brand visuals. In this way, a consistent visual identity can be crafted. One way to…