Guides and information about trademark law.
As an affordable trademark attorney, I occupy a strange niche. JPG Legal has just hit $5 million in total revenue since I launched the firm online in mid-2017. In that time, I’ve developed a clear picture of our target client. Or rather, both of our target clients, because the members of our target audience approach us from two very different perspectives. Some of our prospective clients see us as a cut-rate “budget” law firm. Others […]
Most business owners are worried about cash flow and sales. After all, regardless of your industry, the main goal is to earn profits. However, protecting those profits is also essential. Legal issues, cybercrimes, and other problems can wreak havoc on a small business. It is vital to adopt practices that protect your business. Failure to have the proper protections in place can lead to a wide range of legal and security problems. Even companies that […]
Only 50% of companies with employees survive beyond the first five years. Though these numbers may appear intimidating, you can work to overcome them. The most successful businesses put a premium on talent, customer focus, strategy, and networking while maintaining core beliefs and practices. Furthermore, it’s vital to discern what legal mistakes every startup company should avoid making. When first establishing your startup, there are several key steps you’ll need to take to help ensure […]
Updated September 4, 2024 When appraising a business, the valuation is typically based on revenue, profit, and assets. The calculations can be similar if you’re appraising a popular trademark that generates high revenue. Generally, the revenue of that brand will travel with sale of the trademark. But for the owner of a little-known or dormant trademark, a totally different process is required to figure out how much your trademark is worth. With an “unused” trademark, […]
You may not be surprised that clients frequently ask me how to come up with a brand name that they can successfully register as a trademark. Sometimes they ask after we give them a negative legal opinion about the name they wanted to register. Other times they ask after they get a major refusal from the USPTO and have to think of a new name. Over the years, I’ve refined and augmented my answer to […]
Musician and recording artist names are arguably one of the most complicated topics in trademark law. Just ask the Bernie Sanders campaign. Over the years, I’ve represented some famous musicians like Toots and the Maytals, the Weather Girls, and Juhn. But one of the first trademark applications I ever filed was for a teenager who produced hip hop beats and rapped over them, before I knew what goods/services a musician’s trademark should be registered for. […]
Drawing of Bernie Sanders by me. If you’ve followed my Twitter account or heard my interview on NPR’s Morning Edition, you know I’m a huge supporter of Senator Bernie Sanders. Sanders is what happens when a genuine, on-the-ground activist and organizer somehow manages to get real institutional power, without compromising their values. This has probably never happened in modern U.S. politics, and it’s terrifying not only to the very wealthy, but also to the status-quo-dependent […]
