A trademark is any word, symbol, graphic image, or combination thereof that your business uses to distinguish itself and its products from those of other businesses. Registering a trademark can help your business protect its brand and identity by serving as public notice of ownership over that mark. Trademarks can be registered at both the state and national level and often include a complicated application. As trademark registration can be confusing, this article provides some general guidance for trademark registration in North Carolina.
The first question with trademark registration is the value of registration itself. What kind of business are you running? If your trademark is essential to the life and success of your business, then you want to register for maximum legal protection. Trademarks are voluntary, so if your trademark is not essential to the life of your business, especially in the beginning stages, your resources might be better spent elsewhere.
If trademark registration is essential, it is next important to decide if state or federal registration is more valuable. Your trademark receives protection throughout the entire country if you register with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. While the protection is broad, this comes with a more time-consuming process. It might benefit your business to complete North Carolina trademark registration to protect against state infringement in the interim.
Once you have decided to move forward with trademark registration, North Carolina has a few important requirements. In addition to filling out the required forms on the Secretary of State website, you must prove that your trademark is in use, and advertising alone is not sufficient. In addition to completing a trademark application, it is a good idea to provide the Secretary of State with “actual specimens” or evidence of your trademark in use.
Are you considering applying for a trademark? Give us a call! Our team is committed to providing turnkey solutions to help grow your business. Contact our office to discuss trademark strategy, brand protection, and registration requirements.
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I definitely could have created my new business, Davis Wealth Management LLC, but boy that would have been a mistake. Because business formation is not an area in which I practice, I had no idea where my blind spots were, and let me tell you there were plenty. The knowledge I received from the firm is invaluable.
John McCormick and his firm are very reasonably priced and quickly and efficiently assisted me in creating my new business. It was completely turn key; they did everything for me. I can't recommend their services enough. Also, huge shoutout to Taylor who kept me informed every step of the way!
John and his team were great to work with. They provided advice for starting my business and set everything up in an efficient and timely manner. I will definitely recommend them to others!
I contacted McCormick Law firm to register my moving service in NC. They did an outstanding job. Completed the process way sooner than I expected. Thank you, Taylor.
McCormick Law, PC d/b/a McCormick Law & Consulting and Driving Defense Law is a boutique law firm located in Norfolk, Virginia & Raleigh, North Carolina, that seamlessly serves clients throughout Virginia and North Carolina. Whether you are a new or existing client of the firm, McCormick Law, PC, cannot represent you on any new matter until the firm has made a determination that there is no conflict of interest and that it is willing to accept the new engagement. The testimonials on this website reflect the real-life experiences and opinions of our clients. However, the experiences are personal to those particular clients, and may not necessarily be representative of all clients. We do not claim, and you should not assume, that all clients will have the same experience. Your outcome may vary.