How to Register a Trademark
Securing Federal Trademark Protection for Your Business Name or TaglineIf you have a name, a tag line, or an image that you are using in commerce (i.e., it is in some publicly facing medium connected with the product or service you are selling) you can register for federal trademark protection.
The first step is to search the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database to check if anyone else has registered the name or tag line. You only need to check the ones in the search results marked "Live," as the others are no longer active. If you see your mark already registered, the next step is to check what classification it is registered in. If you sell cleaning services and the mark is registered for a software product, you can still seek registration in your classification. This is because the services are so different that customers are not likely to be confused. To apply, you need to choose your classification (there is a lengthy list on the USPTO website), submit the online application with proof that your mark is currently being used in commerce, and pay the registration fee (currently $250 per classification). You may be able to do this on your own, but an attorney can help if you are unsure about the classification, uncomfortable doing it yourself, or find a similar registered mark on the database and are unsure whether your mark is eligible. Learn more here about trademarks. |
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Meet Our Business Attorneys
Emily Smith-Lee is the owner and founder of slnlaw. She is a 1996 graduate of Boston College Law School. She was previously a partner at the Boston office of a large international firm, where she worked for thirteen years with a focus on business litigation. In 2009, she started the firm that since became slnlaw, and has grown it from a solo practice to a five-attorney firm with multiple practice areas. She has been recognized as Massachusetts Superlawyer each year since 2013, and in 2018 earned recognition as one of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly's Lawyers of the Year. She has written a book on employment law: Rules of the Road, What You Need to Know About Employment Laws in Massachusetts, and helped hundreds of small business owners with contracts, business transactions, employment law advice, business incorporation, and risk management. She has also litigated business disputes in state and federal courts.
Rebecca Rogers: Rebecca is a 2006 graduate of Boston College Law School, and has worked with slnlaw since 2013. She previously worked as an intellectual property litigation attorney for Fish & Richardson in Boston, Massachusetts, and clerked for the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Rebecca has helped clients with business contracts, employment contracts, and employment law advice.
Jenna Ordway: Jenna is a 2013 graduate of Quinnipiac Law School, and also earned an LLM in Taxation from Boston University in 2015. She has been affiliated with slnlaw since 2011, first as a law clerk and then as an attorney. Jenna has been recognized since 2019 as a "Rising Star" by Massachusetts Superlawyers. Jenna has helped many small business owners with business incorporation, contract review, advice and analysis regarding business disputes, employment law advice, and advice to business owners about succession planning as part of their estate plans.
Elijah Bresley: Eli is a 2014 graduate of Seton Hall Law school, and has worked with slnlaw since 2020. He previously worked for a boutique employment law firm outside of Boston, and then for the Labor and Employment department of a large Boston firm. He also spent a year clerking for the judges of the Superior Court in Hartford, Connecticut. Eli has helped our small business clients with employment law advice and defense of employment-related lawsuits in MCAD and state and federal courts.
Sharleen Tinnin: Sharleen is a 2010 graduate of Northeastern University School of Law, and has been with slnlaw since 2023. Prior to joining slnlaw, she worked with King, Tilden, McEttrick & Brink, P.C. on complex civil litigation matters. She previously worked for the United States Department of Justice, and received an "Excellence in Justice" award in 2017. Sharleen has helped clients litigate business disputes in state and federal courts, and advised business owners about succession considerations as part of their estate planning.
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Emily Smith-Lee Rated by Super Lawyers loading ... |
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Jenna Ordway
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