Charlotte Trademark Registration
Welcome to Gerben IP
We have been assisting entrepreneurs, established businesses and other lawyers with trademarks since 2008. We are very proud of the fact that our firm’s representation has resulted in the successful registration of more than 7,500 trademarks with the USPTO.
What We Do
We offer a full range of trademark, copyright and patent services to entrepreneurs, established businesses and other attorneys (on behalf of their clients). We can assist clients in all 50 U.S. states and from countries around the world.
Start Protecting
Your Trademark
$1500 Trademark
Registration Package:
(plus government fees)
Package Includes:
- Federal Trademark Search using CORSEARCH software
- State Trademark Search using CORSEARCH software
- Common Law Trademark Search
- Attorney Consultation Time
- Drafting and Filing of Trademark Application
- Responding to Non-Substantive Office Actions
- Sending Registration Certificate
Providing Trademark Services for Charlotte-based Businesses
Please note that while Gerben IP is not located in North Carolina, it can assist businesses from North Carolina in registering a federal trademark because it is a federal matter.
Since its founding in 2008, Gerben IP has been helping clients from all over the United States register and protect their trademarks, including from Charlotte. Attorney Josh Gerben and his team have successfully registered over 6,500 federal on behalf of clients. Whether you own a growing brewery in NoDa or a small bakery in SouthPark, Gerben IP’s team of experienced trademark attorneys is ready to assist you in registering your trademark.
How many trademarks are filed each year by businesses in Charlotte, North Carolina?
| Year | # of Trademarks Filed |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1950 |
| 2020 | 1943 |
| 2019 | 1591 |
| 2018 | 1627 |
| 2017 | 1424 |
| 2016 | 1151 |
| 2015 | 1213 |
| 2014 | 1254 |
| Year | # of Trademarks Filed |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 1252 |
| 2012 | 1096 |
| 2011 | 1004 |
| 2010 | 930 |
| 2009 | 989 |
| 2008 | 1085 |
| 2007 | 1086 |
| 2006 | 1000 |
Why is trademark registration important for Mint City business owners?
Charlotte is frequently named as one of the fasted growing cities in the country. Every year, the population grows, and that means that new businesses are popping up from Lake Norman to Rock Hill. New business owners may be reluctant to invent time and money filing for a trademark, but failing to do so could be detrimental to their long term growth and success.
Consider this scenario. An outdoor enthusiast in the Charlotte area frequently bikes on the greenways in and around town, and he sees a need. He decides to open several small bike rental shops in the area, so that others can enjoy the paved trails winding through suburban Charlotte through Uptown. He decides upon the name Greenway Bikes and immediately starts branding a “signature” lime green bike with the business name and logo prominently displayed.
Unbeknownst to him, a well-known online custom bike shop has been making and selling a “Greenway Bike” for years, and because they have a trademark, the owner of Greenway Bikes might now need to rebrand his entire inventory of bikes. This is a costly mistake that could have been avoided if he’d worked with an attorney and completed a comprehensive trademark search before he designed his bikes and opened up shop.
If you are opening a new business or expanding an existing one consider contacting the attorneys at Gerben IP for a complimentary trademark consultation.
The top 4 questions Charlotte businesses have about obtaining a trademark.
Why do I need a trademark?
A trademark protects anything that represents your company. The most common trademarks include names, phrases, words, and symbols, but even colors, sounds, and smells can be trademarked. Having a trademark distinguishes you from your competitors, and can also protect you from a competitor infringing on your unique mark. Without a trademark, you might also find yourself infringing on another company’s mark, which can be a costly mistake.
Why should I hire a trademark attorney?
Business owners often opt to begin the trademark registration process on their own, only to find the process much more complicated than they anticipated. Those business owners may find that they will spend more money to correct and re-file their application than they would have if they had hired an attorney from the beginning. Working with an experienced trademark attorney from Gerben IP ensures that the process will run smoothly and professionally from start to finish.
What is the USPTO?
The USPTO stands for the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which is a division of the Department of Commerce. The USPTO examines applications, then registers trademarks for products and services and grants patents for new inventions. They also maintain the records for trademarks and patents.
When should I file my trademark application?
When it comes to registering a trademark, the sooner the better. Ideally, this process should be one of the first things you do when starting your business. The date you file your application becomes your priority date, which means that you have priority for the mark ahead of anyone that may file a similar application at a later date. A professional trademark search can also provide peace of mind that you can begin to brand your business without a high risk of infringing on another trademark. Delaying the process could leave you and your business open to liability.
Common misperceptions about trademarks heard around Charlotte, NC.
The terms trademark, copyright, and patent are all essentially the same thing.
While these terms are often confused, they are not interchangeable. A trademark is a name, logo, slogan, or anything that represents your product or company to a consumer. Copyrights protect creative works such as books or art. Patents are issued to protect unique inventions. It is important to know which of these you need to protect your own intellectual property.
I applied to protect my logo. That should be enough to protect me.
When applying for your trademark, you have the option of filing for a “word mark” or a “design mark.” A design mark only protects the design and any words as they appear in the design. Therefore, if you were to change your logo at some point in the future you could lose the rights in your federal trademark registration. For this reason it may be recommended that you file your trademark application for just your name, and, consider filing a second application for your logo.
No one else can use a word that I have registered as a federal trademark.
Two brands can have the same name if there is no potential confusion between the products or services. For example, Delta is a well-known airline, but a different company named Delta manufactures and sells faucets. They operate using the same name, but they are not seen as competitors, as they do business in to entirely different industries. Both, then, can trademark their use of the word “Delta.”
I only need one trademark filing to cover all of my trademarks.
A trademark application can only cover a single trademark. Most companies have several trademarks. For example, a name, logo and slogan could require three different filings to cover all three distinct trademarks. The trademark attorneys at Gerben IP can assist you in identifying how many trademark applications you should file to protect your trademark rights.
The process to register a trademark is easy, so a “do-it-yourself” legal website is just as effective as hiring an attorney.
Filing for a trademark can be a complicated process, requiring dozens of legal decisions unique to your business. Details such as the scope of the goods and services, the ownership of the trademark, and the availability of the mark all need to be considered. Hiring an attorney will increase your chances of registering your trademark and can save you time and money in the long run.
15+
Years of Experience
10,000+
Trademark Searches
Completed
Completed
7,500+
Trademarks Federally
Registered
Registered
5
Customer Service