How Do You Check a Brand Name Before Filing a Trademark? Before you spend money on a logo, website, packaging, social media launch, product labels, signage, or a USPTO trademark application, you should conduct a trademark clearance search. A trademark clearance search is the process of checking whether your proposed brand name, logo, slogan, or […]
What Should You Know Before Launching a Kickstarter Campaign? A Kickstarter campaign is not just a marketing event. It is a public launch, a pre-sale strategy, a brand announcement, a customer relationship, and often the first real stress test of whether your project is ready to become a business. And while that’s exciting, it also […]
How Do You Copyright a Board Game? A board game is usually not one single copyrightable thing, but a bundle of creative assets: written rules, card text, board artwork, character illustrations, box art, lore, photos, instructions, icons, graphic design, and sometimes software or companion app content. Copyright can protect the expressive parts of that bundle. […]
Did You Receive a Letter of Intent from the Cleveland Clinic? Receiving a letter of intent from the Cleveland Clinic is exciting. It may feel like the hard part is over: the interviews went well, the department wants you, and the broad terms are finally in writing. But before you sign, be sure to understand […]
How Do You Sell a Business Where the Main Value Is Intellectual Property? If your business is built around intellectual property, you are not just selling equipment, inventory, or a customer list. You are selling the legal rights that make the business valuable in the first place. That might mean a trademarked brand with strong […]
Asset Sale vs. Entity Sale: How Should You Structure the Sale of Your Business? Selling a business is not just about agreeing on a purchase price. It’s about deciding what, exactly, is being sold. That sounds simple until you get into the details. Are you selling the company’s assets: equipment, inventory, contracts, customer lists, intellectual […]
What Is a “Petition to Make Special” for a Trademark Application? If your trademark application is facing a time-sensitive business issue, a standard USPTO review timeline may not move fast enough. In certain situations, trademark applicants can request expedited examination through a filing known as a Petition to Make Special (PTMS). A PTMS asks the […]
How Trademark Registration Elevates Your Business When it comes to building a strong business, developing your brand identity is as important as growing your customer base. In this sense, trademark registration isn’t just a legal formality, it’s a strategic move that can boost your brand’s credibility and unlock new growth opportunities. In the United States, […]
10 Underused Contract Clauses That Strengthen Business Agreements When drafting a business agreement, the devil is in the details. Beyond the obvious terms like price and deadlines, savvy business owners are discovering that certain lesser-known contract clauses can make a big difference in protecting their interests. If you issue B2B contracts for services, vendor partnerships, […]
Can I Use Intellectual Property to Protect My Likeness and Persona? Content creators, entrepreneurs, influencers, and business owners often are their brand. Your name, face, voice, and catchphrases are central to your identity and business. With the rise of AI – from deepfake videos to synthetic voice clones – there’s growing concern about unauthorized use […]
