Trademark Registration Services

Your business’s brand deserves more than a completed form. Sierra IP Law, PC provides professional trademark registration services focused on protecting the names and symbols that distinguish your business. As an intellectual property law firm, we help business owners throughout the US navigate the entire process, from trademark search and filing through ongoing legal support.

Our Trademark Registration Services

Our trademark services include conducting a comprehensive trademark search to vet your proposed trademark, preparing and filing your trademark application for federal registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), prosecuting the application through the end of examination, and tracking and filing trademark renewals. We have filed and prosecuted thousands of trademark applications on behalf of our clients and we will provide efficient and effective filings for you.

We first conduct a consultation to understand your plans for use of your mark or proposed mark, the proper ownership of the mark (will it be owned by an individual, a corporation, an IP holding company, etc.), whether the mark is currently being used or there is intended use, whether there are proper specimens of use, and the goods and services to be covered. Once we have an accurate understanding of your plans, we conduct a trademark search to evaluate the registrability of the mark and whether there are any potential conflicting marks used by other parties.

Trademark Search and Brand Clearance

Before trademark filing, we evaluate registrability and identify potential conflicts. We provide comprehensive trademark searches that include federal and state trademark records and common law research into unregistered marketplace use of related trademarks and service marks.

Our comprehensive search includes search and analysis of similar conflicting marks, not just identical names. A common law search matters because common law trademarks are enforceable against junior users and can be a basis for invalidating a federal trademark registration. If we identify potential conflicts that are significant, we work with you to troubleshoot the problem to identify potential alternative filing strategies, possible tweaks to the trademark, and possible modified or different trademarks that you may be able to use.

Skipping the due diligence of a trademark clearance search increases the risk of refusal, disputes, and costly rebranding. While no search guarantees availability, it is in nearly all circumstances an effective tool for evaluating the strength and registrability of a trademark.

In order to perform a comprehensive and effective trademark search, you should seek the assistance of an experienced trademark attorney. They will help you perform an effective search and troubleshoot potential trademark conflict issues, if necessary.

Preparing Your Trademark Application

Once we have conducted a search and addressed any issues with potentially conflicting marks, we proceed with preparing and filing your trademark application for federal registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Careful preparation of your trademark application helps avoid an office action, delays, and additional fees resulting from filing mistakes. We prepare accurate descriptions of the mark and the goods or services and select the appropriate trademark class or classes: filing for the wrong class can result in the issuance of an office action requiring corrections and possibly additional fees. We determine whether to file based on current use or an intent to use the mark (which allows you to secure a priority date before you actually use the mark). For a mark already used in commerce, we confirm the dates of use and review supporting specimens, such as product labels or website screenshots.

We then review the application with you, verify its accuracy, and arrange for the required declaration and signature before filing with the USPTO. We guide you through preparing and filing an application tailored to your business.

Trademark Application Process and Office Action Responses

Every trademark application is examined by an examining attorney for legal compliance and potential conflicts. The initiation of examination averaged 4.2 months in the USPTO’s 2026 data. The total time to complete examination of a federal application may be in the 12-18 month range if there are office actions issued in the application. If the examiner believes that there are bases for refusal, the trademark office will issue an Office Action. Our legal professionals analyze the issues raised in the office action and prepare a proposed response for the client's review and approval. Our attorneys review the examiner's position for consistency with trademark law and principles and determine where the examiner's position can be effectively opposed.

If a final refusal is issued, we evaluate whether to file a request for reconsideration and/or pursue an appeal with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Our attorneys have extensive experience in dealing with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and will pursue an appeal if it is advisable and the client wishes to pursue it.

Publication, Timing, and Registration

After examination approval for the Principal Register, the mark is published in the USPTO Official Gazette, notifying the public that the application has been approved and providing a 30-day period during which anyone who believes they would be damaged by the registration of the mark can file an opposition to the registration. If no opposition or extension request intervenes and all requirements are met, a registration certificate issues. If an opposition is filed with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, we have the expertise to defend the opposition proceeding on behalf of the client.

In the case of an intent-to-use application, the trademark office will issue a Notice of Allowance, which provides a six-month period to file a statement of use with an appropriate specimen of use. We guide the client through the statement of use requirement.

Why Register a Trademark?

A trademark protects source-identifying brand names, logos, and slogans. Federal trademark registration on the Principal Register provides public notice of ownership and presumptive nationwide exclusive rights for the listed goods and services. An officially registered trademark strengthens enforcement against trademark infringement, including in federal court, and can support brand value and recognition. That means that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has determined that you are the owner of the trademark registration and that you have the exclusive right to use the trademark or service mark in connection with the goods and services listed in your trademark registration. If anyone attempts to use a similar mark on similar goods in a way that would cause consumer confusion, they have violated your trademark rights and you may pursue a trademark enforcement action against them in state or federal court. A trademark registration protects your brand in the United States within all forums where trademark usage may occur, including internet presence, social media platforms, online market platforms (e.g., through Amazon Brand Registry), and brick-and-mortar locations where the goods or services are sold and provided.

In contrast, common law trademark rights generally extend only to geographic markets established through use. Common law trademark rights must be proven in a trademark dispute: you do not get a presumption of ownership or rights. It is also challenging to pursue takedowns on social media platforms and online market platforms because you do not have a legal presumption of ownership on which the platforms can rely.

State trademark registrations (e.g., a California State Trademark Registration through the California Secretary of State's office) provide statewide protection under state law, but not nationwide rights. In many states, state trademark registrations do not provide a presumption of trademark ownership or trademark rights like a federal registration.

Business registrations and domain names do not substitute for trademark protection. A federal trademark registration that protects your branding, business name, and internet presence. Your fictitious business name registration, your corporate registration, or your domain registration provides little basis for a trademark enforcement action.

Trademark Registration Cost and Choosing Counsel

How much does a trademark cost? The filing fee for a trademark application in one trademark class filed with the USPTO starts at $350 per class, with potential additional fees. There are other fees that may be required, e.g., statement of use filing fees in Intent-to-Use application filings. Total costs depend on searches and legal services provided by a trademark attorney. If there are Office Actions issued, costs can increase significantly because there are attorney's fees for preparing and filing responses to the office actions. We provide flat-fee services for filing the trademark applications and our trademark prosecution services, such as office action responses. Our flat-fee structure provides defined costs to you as the applicant, rather than indeterminate hourly billing.

When comparing the best options for trademark registration services, understand that there are discount providers that provide a basic package of services that may look attractive, but you always get what you pay for. Basic services may include a basic search that looks at similar USPTO records, but is not comprehensive. They may also walk you through the mechanics of filing a trademark application, but may not provide actual legal guidance. They may offer a premium package in which you have access to a lawyer. However, the interaction with the lawyer may be limited based on the low fees paid. You should consider these factors in making a choice as to who will be assisting you with protecting your brand and identity.

If you are evaluating a "trademark registration agency", ask what attorney review, comprehensive search, and legal representation are included. Request written pricing to identify exclusions and request a full price breakdown to avoid hidden fees. A registration service quote is not necessarily the cost of the full registration process.

The USPTO recommends hiring a U.S.-licensed trademark attorney and does not endorse trademark registration agencies. The USPTO has also recently cracked down on non-attorney filing firms offering trademark filing services for a low fee. The USPTO has recently terminated tens of thousands of trademark applications filed by non-attorneys for violating the USPTO's trademark rules of practice. Trademark service providers must use qualified attorneys for legal advice, representation, and application filings. Our legal team connects legal registration strategy with individualized legal support throughout the filing process.

Brand Protection for a Federally Registered Trademark

A trademark registered with the USPTO generally requires continued use and maintenance filings during years five–six, nine–ten, and every ten years thereafter. We continue to provide registration services after your registration issues, tracking your trademark renewal and maintenance deadlines so that your registration is not abandoned or canceled. We also provide trademark enforcement, licensing, and other trademark-related services.

Contact Our Office For Assistance with Your Trademark Application

We offer a full suite of trademark services in addition to our trademark registration services to provide you comprehensive brand protection. We have extensive expertise and experience in trademark registration procurement, trademark agreements and licensing, and trademark enforcement. Contact our office for assistance with protecting your brand identity and reputation.

Ready to register your trademark or protect your company name? Contact Sierra IP Law to discuss your goals and the trademark registration process.