Know Your Rights: Your IP and Business Law Playbook

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week, also with apologies to Iggy Pop and the Stooges. This clip focuses on what a thorough trademark clearance search should involve, why a combination of AI and manual searching is best, and how manual searching isn't simple . #trademark #trademarks #trademarklaw #trademarklawyer #trademarkattorney #trademarklawfirm #iplaw

If you’re picking a name or logo for your business or product or using one you’re not sure is clear to use, you might be standing at a crossroads, unsure of what to do: keep going full steam ahead with that clever name you love, or hit pause until you’re sure you’re not infringing on someone else’s trademark? This decision isn’t just about branding. It could make or break your business. With my ap...

Here's the final bite-sized portion of my main episode this week. This clip is the conclusion to the provisional patent myths: “A Provisional Patent Application Is a Tool—Not a Shortcut.”Listen/watch to learn why. #patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer Used correctly, a provisional patent application gives youtime to explore your invention’s potential,...

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week. This clip focuses on provisional patent myth #5: “Once I File a Provisional Application, I Don’t Need to Worry for a Year.” That's simply not true. Listen/watch to learn why. #patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week. This clip focuses on provisional patent myth #2: “As Long As I File Something, I’m Covered.” That's simply not true. Listen/watch to learn why. #patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week. This clip focuses on provisional patent myth #4: “ I Don't Need a Patent Attorney for a Provisional Patent Application.” Technically, true, and it’s tempting to save money by going it alone or using a low-cost online service, but this isn’t always wise. #patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week. This clip focuses on provisional patent myth #3: “ I Can Publicly Disclose My Invention after Filing a Provisional Patent Application and Still Be Safe.” This one is a half-truth that can still be profoundly risky. Listen/watch to learn why. #patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer

Commerce Secretary Lutnick’s boneheaded idea of charging patent holders between 1% and 5% of their overall patent value annually is, to put it more politely, fundamentally problematic. Here's why. #patent #patents  #iplaw #patentlaw

Here's a bite-sized portion of my main episode this week. This clip focuses on provisional patent myth #1: “A Provisional Patent Application Gives Me a Patent.” NOPE! listen/watch to learn why. #patent #patents #provisionalpatent #iplaw #patentattorney #patentlaw #patentlawyer

Provisional patent applications are popular with startups and inventors because they’re fast and relatively inexpensive, but they’re also one of the most misunderstood tools in the inventor’s toolkit . They’re inexpensive, flexible, and don’t require formal claims—but they’re not a shortcut to a patent. Let’s bust five of the most common myths about provisional patent applications so they don’t tr...

Filing a provisional patent application can be a smart, strategic move for inventors, but only if it's doneright. Unfortunately, many DIY filers treat the process like it's just a placeholder or a quick form to “get something on file.” The truth? Many DIY inventors make critical mistakes in provisional applications that cost them patent rights down the road. Let’s break down the 5 most common mist...

When small business owners invest in branding, they often assume that registering their logo as a trademark, especially if it includes the business name, gives them broad legal protection. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. If you only register your logo as a trademark, you don’t necessarily have trademark rights to the business name by itself—and that could leave your brand vulnerable. How DO yo...

Starting a new business is exciting—you pick a great name, file your registration with the state, and boom! You’re official. But here’s the catch: just because you’ve registered your business name with your state doesn’t mean you actually own the rights to that name. Using it with the public may even be trademark infringement. No joke! In this episode, I talk about the following issues: ✅The Busi...

AC/DC makes the highway to hell sound pretty fun: livin’ easy, party time. Being lackadaisical is a terrible approach to take with estate planning, though. Estate planning is one of those things that’s easy to put off, but waiting too long can leave your family and assets unprotected and your family having to deal with probate court. Comparing probate court to hell is a bit extreme, but it’s still...

As AC/DC said, “It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll,” and I can tell you it’s a long way to the top in business if you miss your deadlines. Time matters in business. Whether you're launching a startup, maintaining operations, or preparing for growth, certain deadlines can make or break your success. Missing key business dates can lead to financial penalties, legal trouble, or l...

In business and innovation, timing is everything—especially when it comes to patents. Unlike trademarks, where rights can last indefinitely if maintained properly, or copyrights, where they last for a very long time whether they’re registered or not, patents require registration, operate on a strict timeline, and last for a comparatively limited time. While the Rolling Stones said time is on their...

Time matters for trademarks. Whether you’re launching a new brand or protecting an existing one, understanding the critical dates and deadlines in trademark law can mean the difference between securing your rights and losing them. Keeping track of trademark timing is essential for protecting your brand and staying ahead of the competition. Def Leppard said it’s too late for love, but let’s look at...

Twice a year, we change our clocks for daylight savingtime—a reminder of just how much timing matters. The same is true in copyright law! As the Rolling Stones noted, “time waits for no one,” and neither does copyright law. Whether you're a business owner, content creator, or entrepreneur, understanding the key dates and deadlines in copyright law can help you protect your intellectual property an...

When Your Idea Outlives You :If you die while waiting for a copyright, trademark, or patent application to be granted, what happens to the application and to your intellectual property?

Your business idea feels revolutionary—but does uniqueness even matter? Not necessarily! While a completely new concept might be valuable, execution is key. A coffee shop isn’t new, but Starbucks' execution made it a billion-dollar company.

You have a groundbreaking invention—but how do you know if it’s truly innovative enough for a patent? Are you 100% certain no one anywhere in the world has had the same idea and made it public in any way? I’ve had clients think they were that certain, only to find out the hard way they were wrong. Why does it matter whether you’re the only one to have your amazing idea?

“I Swear My Business Name is Original and Unique!” Is It Really? Your brand name, logo, or slogan feels completely unique to you. But is it legally distinct enough to avoid trademark infringement? What Counts as Infringement? Trademark infringement occurs when a mark is so similar to another for identical or similar goods or services that it creates "likelihood of confusion." This doesn’t mean ide...

“I Swear My Work is Original and Unique!” Is It Really? When you create something new—a book, a song, a painting, a blog post—you naturally assume it’s original. But legally, how "original" does your work have to be to get copyright protection? How Original Does It Have to Be? Copyright law protects "original works of authorship," but that doesn’t mean your idea has to be groundbreaking. Courts ha...

You've built a business and secured intellectual property—patents, trademarks, copyrights—but what happens to those rights when you pass away? Today, we’re covering what business owners and inventors need to know about IP and estate planning. Intellectual property is considered an asset, just like real estate or stocks. That means it can be inherited, sold, or assigned based on your estate plan—or...

When you create intellectual property subject to patent, trademark, or copyright law, you need to decide who should own it: you as an individual or your business. Today, we’ll break down the pros and cons of business ownership vs. individual ownership, and how you can properly transfer IP rights between the two.