Denver trademark and licensing attorney
Protect the name before you print it, then license it on your terms
A brand becomes an asset only when you can prove you own it. We clear names before you spend on them, file federal applications, and draft licenses that let partners use your brand without weakening it.
- Clearance before you commit
- Federal filings and office actions handled
- Licenses with quality and audit terms
From idea to registered brand
Four stages, most of them before your first order of packaging.
- 01Week 1
Screen the name
Rule out obvious conflicts before you pay for a full search.
- 02Weeks 1 to 2
Full clearance
Similar marks in related classes reviewed, with a written risk opinion.
- 03Week 3
File the application
Goods and services described precisely, on the right filing basis.
- 04Months 8 to 14
Respond and register
Examiner questions answered, then renewals put on the calendar.
Typical federal timing. Examiner workloads change the pace.
- 12 monthsTypical wait for a federal registration
- 10 yearsBetween renewals once registered
- 1 searchBefore you spend on design or signage
General figures for United States filings; every application differs.
What you are protecting
What a trademark does, and does not, protect
A trademark protects the name, logo or slogan that tells customers a product comes from you. It does not protect the idea, the recipe or the software code; those depend on trade secrets, copyright or contracts. Knowing which tool covers which asset is the first step in any brand plan.
Protection also depends on what you sell. A registration covers specific goods and services, so a name that is clear for coffee may conflict with an established mark for tea. That is why clearance looks at related products, not just exact names.
Once registered, a mark has to be used and policed. We help clients keep a simple calendar of renewal and use deadlines, watch for confusing new filings, and respond early when someone gets too close, usually with a letter rather than a lawsuit.
Protect it, then put it to work
Most clients need both, in that order. Registration gives you something worth licensing, and a well-drafted license keeps that value growing instead of leaking away.
Protecting a brand
Own the name you are building
The goal is a registration you can enforce and a clean chain of ownership behind it.
- Clearance search with a written risk opinion
- Federal application for what you actually sell
- Assignments from designers and contractors
- Watch for similar filings after registration
Licensing a brand
Earn from it without losing control
A license should let a partner grow your brand while you keep the right to say no.
- Territory, term and exclusivity spelled out
- Quality standards and approval rights
- Royalties, minimums and audit rights
- A clear exit if standards slip
What owners often assume
Four assumptions we hear in almost every first meeting about a new brand.
- The state registered my business name, so I own it.
- A business filing only reserves the name in state records. Trademark rights come from use and federal registration.
- A quick search showed nothing, so we are clear.
- Search engines show exact matches. Conflicts turn on similar sound, look and meaning in related goods.
- Our designer made the logo, so it is ours.
- Without a signed assignment the designer may still own the copyright in it.
- We can register later, once the brand takes off.
- Waiting lets someone else file first, and changing a name after launch costs far more.
Brand licensing agreement
A specialty food maker licensed its registered brand to a national co-packer under strict quality and audit terms.
Read more
Regional distributor purchase
A family-owned supplier acquired a competing distributor, adding two warehouses and a second service territory.
Read moreIllustrative examples, past results do not predict future outcomes.
Before we launched our second line, Elias had the name cleared, the application filed and our designer’s rights assigned to us. When a retailer asked who owned the brand, we had the answer in one email.
Illustrative client story on a demo site.
Common questions
Short answers to what owners ask before a first meeting.
Sometimes. Ordinary words can work when they are not descriptive of what you sell. A clearance opinion explains how strong the name is likely to be.
Government fees depend on the number of classes. Our clearance and filing work is quoted as a flat fee before you commit.
Yes. An intent-to-use application reserves priority while you prepare to launch.
A letter from the examiner raising a question or objection. Most can be answered with argument or a narrower description.
Usually the name first, because it protects the brand in any style. The logo can follow.
We send and answer demand letters and negotiate. If court becomes necessary we bring in trial counsel and stay involved.
Often part of the same matter
Business questions rarely stay inside one area of law. These are the practice areas that most often come up alongside this one.
Formation & governance
Choosing the right entity, drafting operating agreements and bylaws, and keeping annual records clean so the company holds up later.
ExploreContract disputes
Demand letters, negotiation and mediation for business contract conflicts, aiming to resolve them before they reach court.
ExploreBuying & selling companies
Letters of intent, due diligence, purchase agreements and closing checklists for owners buying or selling a business.
Explore