Hiring a Trademark Attorney
Representation Requirements
If you are domiciled in the United States or its territories, then you are not required to hire a U.S.-licensed attorney for the trademark registration process. However, it is highly recommended. If you have a foreign domicile, then you are required to hire a U.S.-licensed attorney to represent you in the registration process and any proceedings with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Your domicile is the place where you reside and intend to have your primary home. For businesses, the domicile is the principal place of business activity. You can learn more about the domicile address requirement here.
Filing Firms
What about cheap online trademark filing services? You get what you pay for. Many of these firms offer rushed and minimal services that lack proper oversight. The USPTO cautions against use of such firms, their suspicious claims, and provides good reasons to hire a qualified attorney.
Registration and Representation
Trademark law is federal in nature and not state-specific. MJ Vuinovich currently holds a bar license in good standing and actively practices in Arizona, USA. With that license, she can provide legal services to clients throughout the United States and abroad as specifically related to USPTO filings and procedures. This is because trademark law is federal in nature and not state-specific. Idora Law Studio can also help you locate local counsel in jurisdictions that have other licensure or filing requirements.
Why is an Attorney Worth the Investment?
A U.S.-licensed attorney with trademark experience can help guide you on important matters such as the search process, identifying the correct basis for your mark filing, and selecting a suitable specimen to properly demonstrate that you have used your mark in commerce. Furthermore, your attorney can craft responses to the USPTO examining attorney, help you understand the scope of your rights, and help you protect your rights going forward. Your ideas and hard work deserve the investment in trusted counsel.