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J.J. Lee, Trademark Attorney

Stopping a Competitor's Trademark Before It’s Too Late

Published about 1 month ago • 1 min read

February 24, 2025

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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 someone applies for a trademark, it gets published for 30 days. During this time, anyone who believes the trademark could cause confusion (or has other legal concerns) can file an opposition.

⚖️ If you oppose, you’ll need to prove why the trademark shouldn’t be registered—maybe it’s too similar to yours, it’s misleading, or the applicant isn’t really using it the right way.

⏳ If you miss the 30-day window, you might have to fight for your rights later—which is much harder and more expensive than stopping it early!

Many businesses don’t even know this step exists, but trademark oppositions can be one of the best ways to protect your brand. If you see a trademark that worries you, let’s talk about whether an opposition makes sense.

Keep Your Brand Safe and Protected,​
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J.J. Lee and the Trademark Lawyer Law Firm Team!

P.S. Want to keep an eye on new trademarks that might affect you? We can monitor the USPTO database and alert you if anything concerning pops up. Let me know if you’d like to set that up! 😊

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J.J. Lee, Trademark Attorney

Protecting your Brand and Trademark Since 2007 and over 7,000 Trademark Registrations.

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