Trademark Registration

Livonia Michigan trademark attorney

Trademark Registration Attorney in Detroit, MI

Federal trademark registration is an essential ingredient in the establishment of a successful brand. 

Federal trademark registration is essential for new start-ups or ongoing business enterprises. Trademark registration protects your business name, product name, slogan, or logo from infringement. In addition, trademark registration allows your enterprise the exclusive legal use of name or logo throughout the United States. It allows you to request that US Customs block the importation of knock-off products.  Of course, trademark registration also allows you to use the ® registered trademark symbol with your name or logo on packaging and in marketing.  

Trademark registration ensures that your customers will not confuse anyone else’s product or service for yours. 


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Trademark Registration Services

Noble Path will expertly draft and file your trademark registration application. However, first, we will thoroughly research the registrability of your name, logo, tag-line, or advertising phrase.

Step 1: Learning About Your Business.

What are you offering and where are you offering it? Do you plan to expand? Will you be offering new products or services going forward? Are you already using your trademark? Do you plan to launch after filing your registration application?

Step 2: Trademark Clearance Search

Our professional trademark clearance search is the next step. For this search, we will scour the USPTO trademark database. Additionally, we will search the trademark databases of all 50 states. Next, we will research other possible uses of your mark by outside of trademark registers. Namely, we will look for business entity registrations, domain name registrations, social media and web search hits, and more. Are there businesses already using that name or logo? Internet domain names in use? Social media handles? Hashtags?

We’ll find them for you.

Next, our trademark attorney will draft a detailed Opinion Letter weighing your risks. This Opinion will note any dangerous conflicts and recommend a high/medium/low chance of success when filing with the USPTO.

This will allow you to elect to file or re-brand with a full understanding of your trademark’s strength.

Step 3: Drafting and Filing

Next, we will expertly draft your Trademark application with a tactical eye toward obtaining for your mark and your enterprise the fullest scope of protection possible. Then, we will review the application with you prior to its filing to ensure that it fully captures your product or service and your use.

Once your application is filed, we will provide you regular and proactive updates as to its progress through the approval process. As needed, we will advise you of any Oppositions or Office Actions filed in response to your application.

Finally, we will let you know when your mark is registered and what your ongoing renewal obligations are.


Trademark Registration Timeline:

The Federal trademark registration timeframe is unfortunately longer than it should be. Whether this is due to understaffing at the USPTO or some other problem, it is difficult to say. Regardless, you should be aware that registering a US trademark can, from start to finish, take well over a year. (Longer for Intent to Use applications.)

Here is the approximate timeline you should expect once you retain us to register your trademark:

  1. Day 1: Retainer formalized.
  2. Day 2-7: Clearance search completed, our Opinion letter is delivered to your email inbox.
  3. Day 8-10: (Presuming you respond promptly with a decision to proceed) You review the draft Application we prepare.
  4. Day 9-11: We file your application with the USPTO.
  5. 9-12 Months later: The USPTO responds with either a Notice of Allowance or an Office Action refusal.
    • If an Office Action is issued, you will have 3 months to Respond, or the Application is Abandoned.
    • From the point you decide to Respond to an Office Action, we will need 2-4 weeks to adequately draft the pleading, depending upon the issues raised. (Note: “Administrative” Office Actions addressing minor Application amendment requirements are resolved more quickly.)
  6. Once the Notice is Allowance is issued, 11 weeks will pass before the Certificate of Registration is issued in “In-Use” Application cases.
    • For “Intent-to-Use” Applications, you will have 6 months to file either a Statement of Use or a Deadline Extension Request from the date of issuance of the Notice of Allowance.
    • You are allowed up to 5 such Extension Requests, at 6-month intervals!

THUS, the total timeframe for an Intent-to-Use Application that receives 1 “Substantive” Office Action can be more than 3 years!

In short, if you want to protect your brand identity during your crucial business start-up, there is no time to waste.


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