In the United States, the trademark registration process typically takes between 12 to 18 months from filing to registration, assuming no significant legal issues arise. However, the USPTO is currently experiencing backlogs, which can extend the initial examination period to 8–10 months. International filings may vary significantly by country.

Yes. For transactional matters such as trademark filings, copyright registrations, and standard contract drafting, we offer transparent flat-fee packages. For litigation and complex negotiation matters, we typically bill hourly but provide detailed estimates and budget caps upon request to ensure predictability.

Absolutely. Intellectual property law, including trademarks and copyrights, is governed by federal law. Therefore, we can and do represent clients in all 50 states and internationally regarding U.S. federal IP matters. For state-specific litigation outside of Washington, we partner with local counsel to ensure full compliance with local court rules.

A trademark protects brand identifiers—names, logos, and slogans—that distinguish goods or services in the marketplace. A copyright protects original artistic and literary works, including books, music, software code, and photographs. We help you determine which protection is right for your assets, and often a comprehensive strategy involves both types of protection.

First, do not panic, but do not ignore the letter either. Avoid contacting the sender directly, as anything you say can be used against you. Contact an attorney immediately to evaluate the validity of their claims. In many cases, we can negotiate a resolution without litigation or demonstrate that the claim lacks merit.

No. Trademark rights are territorial. A U.S. registration only protects you within the United States. To protect your brand internationally, you must file in each specific country or utilize the Madrid Protocol system to file a single application that extends to multiple member countries. We can manage this entire global process for you.

Yes. Amazon Brand Registry requires a pending or registered trademark in the country where you wish to enroll. We can file your trademark application and provide the necessary verification codes to Amazon to help you unlock powerful brand protection tools on their platform.

Generally, yes. It is usually preferable for intellectual property to be owned by a business entity, such as an LLC or corporation, rather than an individual. This arrangement separates personal liability from business assets. If you file as an individual and later form a company, you will need to pay fees to assign the trademark to the new entity.

Yes. Washington has adopted the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA), which provides strong protections for businesses. However, to qualify for protection, you must take "reasonable measures" to keep the information secret. We help Seattle-area companies implement these measures through NDAs, employee handbooks, and digital security protocols.

Software protection is complex. While copyright protects the literal code, patents may protect the underlying functional process. However, recent Supreme Court rulings, particularly Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank, have made software patents harder to obtain. We can evaluate your technology to determine if it meets "subject matter eligibility" requirements or if trade secret protection is a more viable route.

A Washington State trademark only protects your rights within the borders of Washington. A federal trademark, registered with the USPTO, protects your rights across all 50 states and allows you to sue in federal court. For businesses planning to sell online or expand beyond Washington, federal registration is almost always the superior choice.

Yes. If someone has registered a domain name that infringes on your trademark (often called "cybersquatting"), we can file a complaint under the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP). This process is often a faster and more cost-effective alternative to traditional litigation for recovering domain names.