There are a variety of ways you can find a trademark lawyer for your business. If you find it necessary to get legal assistance for your trademark registration, then you can start by asking around. If you have friends or family in business for themselves or manage businesses, they may know of a few lawyers that work in the trademarking industry. Find out who they’ve had trademark their companies or whether they know of one from someone they know that has used the service. Word of mouth is a good way to find a trademark attorney because it acts as a testimonial. If someone is willing to refer you to a lawyer, then that means they were satisfied with their services.
Search the World Wide Web
One of the quickest and easiest ways to find a trademark lawyer is to use the Internet. Using search engines like Google and Bing can bring up hundreds of listings of attorneys in your state. It is best to look for an attorney that is within proximity to you, so that you can meet with them face-to-face. Also, working with someone local will ensure that they are legit. A trademark is somewhat secret and you don’t want someone stealing your idea. There are scammers out there looking to beat businesses to the punch and then sell the trademark for lots of money to the businesses interested in it.
Conduct an Interview
Before hiring a trademark lawyer, you should meet in person and conduct an interview. This is someone that you will have to entrust with private details about your business, so you should make sure that you like and trust the lawyer you plan to hire. During the interview process, you will need to ask for references and check on their licensure and track record. Find out if they’ve had great successes with getting trademarks approved for businesses and what businesses they have helped in the past. You can also do research on the attorneys that you’re interested in using the USPTO web site, using the TESS database. You can search for the trademarks that have been registered and the attorneys that processed the applications on behalf of the business. The search is done by first and last name. You should consider interviewing multiple trademark attorneys before settling with one.
Local Trademark Lawyers
As mentioned, working with a local lawyer will build trust, but it’s also good from another standpoint. Since each state has varying laws behind trademarking, hiring a local attorney will know the regulations of your state. A local attorney is also reasonable if your business is on a local level. If you operate nationally or regionally, then this is less important. There are three levels of trademarking – state, federal and common law. Ask the attorneys that you’re interviewing whether they are familiar with and have worked with all three areas in the past.
Finding a trademark lawyer shouldn’t be difficult. The Yellow Pages and the Internet will connect you with a multitude of attorneys that are readily at your disposal. You can also use Groupon to find deals on supplies and clothing for your case and trial (if there is one). Some of the merchants featured on Groupon include ASOS and Saks Fifth Avenue.
