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J.J. Lee, Trademark Attorney

Learn something new every Thursday! Join over 4,000 entrepreneurs and business owners for weekly Trademark tips, tricks, and news.

Featured Post

⚖️How I Became a Trademark Attorney (and LEAP YEAR 🦘!)

LEAP YEAR: Feb 29, 2024 Happy Leap Year 2024 Reader! Today's featured video is how I became a Trademark attorney. Here is the video: TM Tips & Tricks: Speaking of videos ... We didn't realize until it was too late that our previous TWO newsletters were missing the videos! Here they are TEQUILA Trademarks: Zippo's Sensory Trademark: BUSINESS TIPS AND TRICKS Let's Do This Together Every Week! I've been wanting to read James Clear's Atomic Habits for a while, and I've been sitting on the audio...

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March 31, 2025 TMtelegram Hello Reader, First, don’t worry—this is just helpful information! Your trademark has not been canceled. We’re sharing this because many trademark owners aren’t aware that registered trademarks can be canceled, sometimes without them even realizing it. What is Trademark Cancellation? A trademark cancellation is a legal action where someone challenges a registered trademark and asks the USPTO to remove it from the federal register. This can happen for several reasons,...

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March 24, 2025 TMtelegram Hello Reader, As a trademark owner, you know how valuable your brand is. But what if someone tries to register a trademark that’s too close to yours? If you catch it early enough, you can stop it before it becomes a problem—without having to go through a full legal battle. One of the best tools for this is a Trademark Letter of Protest. What is a Letter of Protest? A Letter of Protest lets you alert the USPTO that a pending trademark conflicts with your existing...

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March 17, 2025 Hello Reader, If you own a registered trademark, you’ve already taken a big step in protecting your brand. But what happens if someone else registers a domain name that’s confusingly similar to your trademark? They might be using it to mislead customers, sell competing products, or hold it for ransom. This is where UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy) comes in. It’s a powerful tool that lets trademark owners reclaim domain names from bad actors—without needing a...

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March 10, 2025 Hello Reader, I want to share an important warning about trademark mass filing companies and why using them could put your trademark at risk. The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) recently announced that they may cancel more than 40,000 trademarks because they were filed using fake or misleading information. Here’s what’s happening: Some companies pretend to be real trademark attorneys when they’re not. They use fake names, fake signatures, and false information to file...

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March 3, 2025 Hello Reader, Did your trademark application get abandoned? Maybe you missed a deadline, forgot to file an extension, or didn’t submit the right paperwork after receiving a Notice of Allowance. Or maybe you didn’t respond to an Office Action in time. It happens more often than you think! But the good news is, we may still be able to bring it back—if we act fast. A trademark application can be abandoned for different reasons, including:❌ Not filing a Statement of Use or extension...

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February 24, 2025 Hello Reader, What if someone tried to register a trademark that’s too close to yours? That could lead to confusion, lost customers, and even harm to your brand. But here’s the good news—you don’t have to just sit and watch it happen! The USPTO allows businesses to oppose a trademark before it’s officially registered. This process is called a trademark opposition, and it’s a way to stop a problematic trademark before it gets final approval. Here’s how it works: 🚨 When...

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February 17, 2025 Hello Reader, Imagine you’re saving a great name for your business, but someone else already has the trademark. The problem? They’re not even using it! That’s where the USPTO’s trademark reexamination and expungement come in—it’s like a cleanup crew for trademarks that shouldn’t be there. Here’s how it works: 🔍 Reexamination – If a trademark owner claimed they were using the trademark when they applied but really weren’t, their trademark can be challenged and possibly...

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February 10, 2025 Hello Reader, When the USPTO reviews a trademark application, one big question they ask is: Will people get confused between this trademark and another one already registered? To answer this, they look at 13 rules—called the DuPont factors—to see how similar the trademarks are. But don’t worry! You don’t need to memorize all 13. Here are the most important ones: 1️⃣ Are the trademarks alike? If two names look, sound, or feel the same, people might mix them up. For example,...

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February 03, 2025 Hello Reader, Did you know that many trademark applications fail due to avoidable mistakes? Here are three common pitfalls—and how you can steer clear of them: ❌ Using a Name That’s Too DescriptiveIf your brand name just describes your product (like “Fresh Bread” for a bakery), the USPTO is likely to reject it. Choose something unique and memorable instead! ❌ Waiting Too Long to FileTrademark rights go to those who act fast. If you’ve started using your brand but haven’t...

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January 27, 2025 Hello Reader, Filing a trademark application can feel like a puzzle, but with the right moves, you can fit all the pieces together smoothly. Here are three quick tips to boost your chances of approval: 1️⃣ Do a Thorough Search FirstBefore filing, check for other trademarks that might be too similar to yours. This can save you time, money, and headaches down the road. Need help? That’s where we come in! 2️⃣ Be Clear About Your Goods or ServicesThe USPTO won't accept...