Legally in Business: Quick intellectual property and business law topics and tips

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week, also with apologies to Iggy Pop and the Stooges. This clip focuses on what you SHOULD do to clear your trademarks.Before locking in a business name, brand name, or logo (or if you’re already using one and aren’t 100% confident it’s clear), here’s what you should do to avoid nasty problems:1. Talk to an experienced trademark attorney about the strength of your name or logo. If there are problems that are obvious to them through their years of experience, they can advise you on what to do.2. Once your trademark attorney has made sure there aren’t any obvious problems, have them conduct a comprehensive clearance search and analyze the results.3. Discuss the results and analysis with the attorney and use that legal insight to make an informed business decision.A good trademark attorney won’t just tell you what’s taken; they’ll tell you what’s risky, what’s defensible, and how to move forward strategically.Think of a comprehensive clearance search as insurance for your business and brand. You’re investing time, energy, and money into building something meaningful. Don’t gamble on a name or logo that could get you into legal hot water.Instead, take the time now to make sure your name and logo are not only memorable, but legally yours.#trademark #trademarks #trademarklaw #trademarklawyer #trademarkattorney #trademarklawfirm #iplaw

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week, also with apologies to Iggy Pop and the Stooges. This clip focuses on what could happen if you launch or keep operating without a proper trademark clearance search.#trademark #trademarks #trademarklaw #trademarklawyer #trademarkattorney #trademarklawfirm #iplaw

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week. This clip focuses on the dangers of cheap online trademark search services.Who doesn’t like to save money? I get it. I like a good bargain, too. I see the appeal of online platforms like LegalZoom, Trademark Engine, and similar services that advertise cheap and fast trademark searches and filing. But here’s what they don’t tell you, or what’s buried in the fine print no one reads, based on what I’ve personally seen happen to clients who started with them.#trademark #trademarks #trademarklaw #trademarklawyer #trademarkattorney #trademarklawfirm #iplaw

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week, also with apologies to Iggy Pop and the Stooges. This clip focuses on the dangers of DIY trademark searches. Many small business owners try to do a trademark search themselves. And look, I understand it. Bootstrapping is often part of the entrepreneurial journey. But in this case, what you don’t know can hurt you.#trademark #trademarks #trademarklaw #trademarklawyer #trademarkattorney #trademarklawfirm #iplaw

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week, also with apologies to Iggy Pop and the Stooges. This clip focuses on what a thorough trademark clearance search should involve, why a combination of AI and manual searching is best, and how manual searching isn't simple.#trademark #trademarks #trademarklaw #trademarklawyer #trademarkattorney #trademarklawfirm #iplaw

If you’re picking a name or logo for your business or product or using one you’re not sure is clear to use, you might be standing at a crossroads, unsure of what to do: keep going full steam ahead with that clever name you love, or hit pause until you’re sure you’re not infringing on someone else’s trademark?This decision isn’t just about branding. It could make or break your business.With my apologies to Iggy Pop and The Stooges, let me tell you how to save your business’ soul with a proper, thorough trademark clearance search done by an experienced trademark attorney, especially before printing packaging, launching your website, or investing in social media ads.Here's what I cover in this video:1. Look Out Honey, 'Cause I’m Using Technology to Do a Proper Trademark Clearance Search2. Don’t Search and Destroy: Why a DIY Search Isn’t Enough3. No Fun: The Cheap Online Trademark Service Trap4. Gimme Danger: What Happens If You Get It Wrong5. Honey Gotta Strike a Plan: What You Should Do InsteadIf you’re launching, growing, or just unsure whether your business/brand name or your logo are truly protected, let’s talk. I help entrepreneurs across the U.S. make smart, legally sound decisions about names and logos. If you’d like to consult with me, you can use my contact form or you can book a consultation online at kingpatentlaw.com or by calling my office at 312-596-2222 or 217-714-8558. Please check out the other posts and pages on my website for more information on patents and other intellectual property and business law issues.#trademark #trademarks #trademarklaw #trademarklawyer #trademarkattorney #trademarklawfirm #iplaw

Here's the final bite-sized portion of my main episode this week. This clip is the conclusion to the provisional patent myths: “A Provisional Patent Application Is a Tool—Not a Shortcut.”Listen/watch to learn why. #patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer Used correctly, a provisional patent application gives youtime to explore your invention’s potential, seek funding, and test the market. Used incorrectly, it can create a false sense of security.Here's What to Do:Before you file, get clear on what a provisional application can, and can’t, do for you.A consultation with a patent attorney will likely save yousignificant time, money, and heartache in the long run. Talk with the attorney about what the provisional application should contain and how to align the applicationand filing date with your long-term goals.What you do in the provisional patent application stage can determine whether you end up with a strong patent or no patent at all.

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week. This clip focuses on provisional patent myth #5: “Once I File a Provisional Application, I Don’t Need to Worry for a Year.” That's simply not true. Listen/watch to learn why. #patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week. This clip focuses on provisional patent myth #2: “As Long As I File Something, I’m Covered.” That's simply not true. Listen/watch to learn why. #patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week. This clip focuses on provisional patent myth #4: “ I Don't Need a Patent Attorney for a Provisional Patent Application.” Technically, true, and it’s tempting to save money by going it alone or using a low-cost online service, but this isn’t always wise. #patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week. This clip focuses on provisional patent myth #3: “ I Can Publicly Disclose My Invention after Filing a Provisional Patent Application and Still Be Safe.” This one is a half-truth that can still be profoundly risky. Listen/watch to learn why.#patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer

Commerce Secretary Lutnick’s boneheaded idea of charging patent holders between 1% and 5% of their overall patent value annually is, to put it more politely, fundamentally problematic. Here's why. #patent #patents  #iplaw #patentlaw

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week. This clip focuses on provisional patent myth #1: “A Provisional Patent Application Gives Me a Patent.” NOPE! listen/watch to learn why. #patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer

Provisional patent applications are popular with startups and inventors because they’re fast and relatively inexpensive, but they’re also one of the most misunderstood tools in the inventor’s toolkit. They’re inexpensive, flexible, and don’t require formal claims—but they’re not a shortcut to a patent.Let’s bust five of the most common myths about provisional patent applications so they don’t trip you up later.1. Don’t Stop Yourself Now: “A Provisional Patent Application Gives Me a Patent”2. Don’t Dream On: “As Long As I File Something, I’m Covered”3. Don’t Have Open Arms: “I Can Publicly Disclose My Invention After Filing and Still Be Safe”4. Don’t Go Your Own Way: “I Don’t Need a Patent Attorney for a Provisional Application”5. Do Keep Movin’ On: “Once I File a Provisional Application, I Don’t Need to Worry for a Year”#patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer

Filing a provisional patent application can be a smart, strategic move for inventors, but only if it's doneright. Unfortunately, many DIY filers treat the process like it's just a placeholder or a quick form to “get something on file.” The truth? Many DIY inventors make critical mistakes in provisional applications that cost them patent rights down the road.Let’s break down the 5 most common mistakes inventors make when filing a provisional patent application themselves—and how to avoid them. Here's what I'm covering in today's episode:1: Not Describing the Invention in Sufficient Detail2. You Can’t Go Back: Treating It Like a Placeholder that Doesn’t Matter3. The Pretender: Using Overly Broad or Ambiguous Language4. Show Me the Way: Failing to Include Drawings or Diagrams5.Slip Slidin’ Away: Assuming a Provisional Patent Application = Patent Pending Protection ForeverFor What It’s Worth: Your Idea Deserves More Than a Deficient Provisional Application FilingIf you’d like to consult with me, you can use my contact form or you can book a consultation online at kingpatentlaw.com or by calling my office at 312-596-2222 or 217-714-8558. Please check out the other posts and pages on my website for more information on patents and other intellectual property and business law issues.#patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer

When small business owners invest in branding, they often assume that registering their logo as a trademark, especially if it includes the business name, gives them broad legal protection. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. If you only register your logo as a trademark, you don’t necessarily have trademark rights to the business name by itself—and that could leave your brand vulnerable.How DO you make sure you’re protecting BOTH your logoand your business name with trademark registration and aren’t leaving your name or your logo vulnerable? I’ll be covering that and more in this episode.If you’d like help with trademarks, let’s talk. You can use my contact form or book a consultation online at kingpatentlaw .com or by calling my office at 312-596-2222 or 217-714-8558.#trademark #business #businesstips #intellectualproperty

Starting a new business is exciting—you pick a great name, file your registration with the state, and boom! You’re official. But here’s the catch: just because you’ve registered your business name with your state doesn’t mean you actually own the rights to that name. Using it with the public may even be trademark infringement. No joke! In this episode, I talk about the following issues:✅The Business Name on Your Formation Documents vs. Trademark Rights: What’s the Difference?✅ Don’t Let the State Let You Down: The Risk of Unintended Trademark Infringement (why state registration of a business provides ZERO assurance that 1. the name is available to you to use as a trademark, and 2. the registered name isn’t infringing someone else’s trademark rights.)✅ Get Up to Speed: How to Clear and Protect Your Business Name: 1. Have a Trademark Search Done By an Experienced Trademark Attorney 2. Document Your Trademark Use3. Apply to Register a Trademark✅ Something to Rely On: Trademark Clearance and Registration, NOT Business Formation DocumentsRegistering your business name with the state through your formation documents is a good first step in protecting your business name, but all it means is that there isn’t an identical business name in your state. That doesn’t mean no other business has that name or one confusingly similar to it, so it doesn’t mean you have trademark rights to it or that you won’t be committing trademark infringement by using it with the public.Having a thorough trademark search by an experienced trademark attorney can help you pick a non-infringing name you can make sure isn’t trademark infringement and that you can secure as yours through trademark registration. Trademark search and application for registration before committing to a business name is a worthy investment that will help you secure your brand, avoid legal trouble, and save time and money down the road. You can even have a search done and apply for registration long after you’ve been in operation, as long as that search doesn’t turn up anything problematic. If it does, you can work with a trademark attorney on quietly rebranding asap.Now that you know these trademark facts, you know it’s truly never enough to rely on your secretary of state’s office for trademark clearance or protection and you’re ready to start working with an experienced trademark attorney to know and protect your rights to your business name. If you’d like help with trademarks, let’s talk. Please go to kingpatentlaw.com to book a consultation, call my office at 312-596-2222 or 217-714-8558, or email me at julie@kingpatentlaw.com.

AC/DC makes the highway to hell sound pretty fun: livin’ easy, party time. Being lackadaisical is a terrible approach to take with estate planning, though. Estate planning is one of those things that’s easy to put off, but waiting too long can leave your family and assets unprotected and your family having to deal with probate court. Comparing probate court to hell is a bit extreme, but it’s still something to avoid if you can.The good news? A solid estate plan gives you control over what happens, both while you're living and after you're gone. If you don’t have one, or have one that’s inadequate, your nearest and dearest will most likely end up managing your estate in probate court when you pass, which is time-consuming and expensive compared to what can happen with a good estate plan. Here are the most important estate planning dates to keep on your radar.

As AC/DC said, “It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll,” and I can tell you it’s a long way to the top in business if you miss your deadlines. Time matters in business. Whether you're launching a startup, maintaining operations, or preparing for growth, certain deadlines can make or break your success. Missing key business dates can lead to financial penalties, legal trouble, or lost opportunities. Here are some of the most critical dates every business owner should have on their radar.

In business and innovation, timing is everything—especially when it comes to patents. Unlike trademarks, where rights can last indefinitely if maintained properly, or copyrights, where they last for a very long time whether they’re registered or not, patents require registration, operate on a strict timeline, and last for a comparatively limited time. While the Rolling Stones said time is on their side, time ISN’T on your side with patents.If you miss a patent deadline, you could lose your exclusive rights forever. Let’s break down the key dates you need to know to protect your inventions.