Avoid the Legal Horrors with Julie King: Patent, Trademark, and Business Strategy

Not everything needs a patent, and seeking the wrong type of intellectual property protection can waste thousands of dollars and months of your time. In this quick episode, patent attorney Julie King explains the critical differences between patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, and how to know which one (or which combination) your business actually needs. You'll learn: Why your comp...

New year, new patent goals? Before you spend thousands on the wrong type of protection, listen to this. Chapters: 0:13 Getting a Patent Can Be Complicated 0:33 Step 1: First Things First. Do You Actually Need a Patent? 1:32 Step 2: Document Everything 2:52 Step 3: Do Some Preliminary Research 4:28 Step 4: Think About Your IP Strategy Holistically 6:00 Step 5: Understand Your Patent Options 7:14 Ut...

In this episode, I go over: the pros and cons of having an LLC the pros and cons of having a corporation when to chose a C-corporation when to elect S-corporation taxation for your LLC or corporation Avoid the legal horrors, and keep rocking your IP. Full transcript and more resources at ⁠ ⁠kingpatentlaw.com/blog⁠ Ready to protect your brand and business? Book a consultation at kingpatentlaw.com⁠...

What does "piercing the corporate veil" mean, and why should you care? Your LLC or corporation creates a legal shield between you and your business. Business gets sued? Only business assets are at risk. But courts will "pierce the veil" and hold you personally liable for business debts if you do the things I list in this episode. Avoid the legal horrors, and keep rocking your IP. Full transcript a...

S-Corps and C-Corps offer maximum liability protection, but they come with formalities, costs, and tax implications most small businesses don't need. In this episode, I go over: what C-corporations and S-corporations are, when they're a good idea and why, and why starting as an LLC is the right choice for most small businesses. Avoid the legal horrors, and keep rocking your IP. Full transcript and...

The LLC is the most popular business structure in America for good reason. But the fortress walls only protect you if you maintain them properly. 🏰 WHY MOST BUSINESSES CHOOSE LLCs: Liability protection - Personal assets shielded from business liabilities Flexible management structure Pass-through taxation (no entity-level tax) Tax flexibility (can elect S-Corp treatment later) Less formality than...

Welcome to Entityville, where every business must choose a dwelling. Your choice determines whether you sleep soundly or lie awake worrying about personal liability and tax burdens. In this episode, I walk you through the four main business structures: The Exposed Cottage (Sole Proprietorship) - Zero protection, maximum personal risk The Shared Mansion (Partnership) - Dangerous without proper agre...

If you have an innovation, you face a choice: patent it or keep it as a trade secret. I walk through some advantages and disadvantages of protecting innovation through patents and as trade secrets. Then I tell you the strategic question to ask yourself and how your answer will help determine which is the most appropriate protection. Avoid the legal horrors, and keep rocking your IP. Full transcrip...

If your business has confidential information, or trade secrets, this beginning-of-year trade secret self-check could save you from losing valuable rights. I'm Julie King with King Patent Law, and today I'm walking you through how to audit your trade secrets. I walk through three critical questions you need to ask about your business secrets. I go over how to answer these questions and what to do...

If you have patents or patent applications, this beginning-of-year self-check could save you from losing valuable rights. I'm Julie King with King Patent Law, and today I'm walking you through how to audit your patents. I walk through three critical questions you need to ask about your patents, patent applications, and innovations. I go over how to answer these questions and what to do about your...

Your brand might not be as protected as you think. I'm Julie King with King Patent Law, and today I'm showing you how to audit your trademark protection in 2026. Let's walk through five critical questions you need to ask about your trademarks. Question one: What are you using versus what's registered? Question two: Have you expanded into new categories? Question three: Are you using the ® symbol c...

The Annual Exorcism of Business Horror Part 2: Your IP Legal Checkup | What Intellectual Property Is Haunting Your Business? ⏱️ CHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction: Why an IP Audit Matters 1:39 IP Refresher (What do Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, and Trade Secrets Protect?) 2:15 Trademark Audit (Brand Names, Logos, Domains, Product/Packaging Design) 10:53 Copyright Audit (Creative Works, Ownership) 16:3...

Three contract red flags every business owner should check right now.  Red flag #1: You're operating under an expired contract. A one-year contract ended, but both parties kept performing. You've created legal ambiguity that could blow up in a dispute. Red flag #2: You have an auto-renewal contract and missedthe cancellation deadline. Many contracts renew automatically unless you give 30, 60, or 9...

What does "good standing" actually mean for your business? If you formed an LLC or corporation, your state requires youto file annual reports and pay fees to stay active. If you don't, your business falls out of "good standing." Why does this matter? Operating while not in good standingcan void your liability protection, prevent you from filing lawsuits, and create problems when you try to get a l...

This registered agent mistake could cost your business $10K+ Registered agent moves and doesn’t update address. Business misses a lawsuit notice. Default judgment: $10,000. Check your registered agent info NOW. WANT A FULL 7-POINT BUSINESS CHECKUP CHECKLIST? Get the complete Beginning-of-Year Business Checkup Checklist at https://kingpatentlaw.com/business-checkup-checklist/ Disclaimer: This infor...

You're busy. You don't have time for a full business audit this month. I get it. Here's a 15-minute business health check you can do right now that will prevent many of the easily preventable legal disasters I see in small businesses.   ⏱️ THE 3 STEPS (5 minutes each): 1. Check your state business entity status online 2. Calendar all renewal deadlines for the year 3. Verify your registered agent c...

Your business entity might be in trouble, and you don't even know it. Here are 3 critical corporate housekeeping tasks you need to check right now.  THE 3 TASKS: 1. Verify your business is in good standing with the state 2. Confirm your registered agent information is current 3. Review your operating agreement or bylaws  These three tasks take less than an hour total, but theyprevent catastrophic...

It's January, and your business needs a checkup. I'm breaking down the 7 critical things every business owner should review this month to prevent legal disasters before they start.🗂️ TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Introduction: Why January?1:32 - Corporate Housekeeping (Points 1-3)5:30 - Contracts and Agreements (Points 4-5)8:39 - Compliance and Licensing (Points 6-7)11:10 - The 15-Minute Quick Check12:13 - Wh...

In this episode, patent and trademark lawyer Julie King covers how to use BOTH design patent protection and trade dress trademark protection to protect your product design initially and indefinitely. Learn which to use first and why that is. Full transcript and more resources at ⁠ ⁠kingpatentlaw.com/blog⁠ Ready to protect your brand and business? Book a consultation at kingpatentlaw.com⁠ . Avoid t...

In this episode, patent and trademark lawyer Julie King covers the differences between design patents and trade dress trademarks, and how the design being functional and not just ornamental can be a HUGE problem for getting either kind of protection. Full transcript and more resources at kingpatentlaw.com/blog Ready to protect your brand and business? Book a consultation at kingpatentlaw.com . Avo...

In this episode (#150!), patent and trademark lawyer Julie King covers how trade dress trademarks can protect your product design indefinitely. Learn the two strict hurdles to getting this protection: non-functionality and "secondary meaning." Full transcript and more resources at kingpatentlaw.com/blog Ready to protect your brand and business? Book a consultation at kingpatentlaw.com . Avoid the...

In this episode, Julie King covers how a design patent is the first intellectual property tool to use to protect and defend how your product LOOKS. Full transcript at ⁠ ⁠kingpatentlaw.com/blog⁠ Don't let the legal darkness win. Ready to build or manage your frighteningly powerful IP? Book your consultation with me at kingpatentlaw.com⁠ . Avoid the legal horrors, and keep rocking your IP. This info...

Welcome to Spellbinding IP! This week, we tackle the Two-Headed Monster of Design IP: the combined power of Design Patents and Trade Dress. Julie King explains why you need both tools to protect your product's look. Learn which one gives you immediate enforcement power (the patent) and which one protects your design indefinitely (the trade dress), and why functionality is the major legal hurdle fo...

In this episode, Julie King covers how to keep your business's value safe by keeping its secrets safe. Your secret recipe, customer mailing list, marketing plan, and anything else that gives you a competitive edge because no one else knows it, all need to be locked down! Full transcript at ⁠ ⁠kingpatentlaw.com/blog⁠ Don't let the legal darkness win. Ready to build or manage your frighteningly powe...

In this episode, Julie King covers why it's crucial for you to keep your invention hush-hush until you know whether making it public will destroy some of your potential patent rights. Full transcript at ⁠ ⁠kingpatentlaw.com/blog⁠ Don't let the legal darkness win. Ready to build or manage your frighteningly powerful IP? Book your consultation with me at kingpatentlaw.com⁠ . Avoid the legal horrors,...