Washington Trademark Registration

Trademark Attorney Services for Your Washington D.C. Business

Office Location: 1050 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036 | 202-294-2287

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.

Start Protecting
Your Trademark

Trademark Registration Services

$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 Washington, D.C.-based Businesses

Gerben IP was founded by trademark attorney Josh Gerben in 2008. Since then, Gerben and his team of experienced attorneys have registered thousands of trademarks for clients across the country, including the Washington, D.C. area. We work with individuals and businesses of all sizes to provide professional trademark registration services for a reasonable flat rate. Whether you plan to open a food truck near Capitol Hill or expand your architecture firm near Georgetown, Gerben IP is ready to assist you.


How many trademarks are filed each year by businesses in Washington, DC?

Gerben IP collected the following data from the USPTO’s public database.

Year# of Trademarks Filed
202196
2020101
201978
201861
201779
201660
201556
201468
Year# of Trademarks Filed
201368
201263
201152
201051
200934
200850
200757
200628

Why is trademark registration important for DC business owners?

With a booming economy, a strong tourism industry, and a steady full time population, it’s always a great time to own a business in Washington, D.C. When opening a business in our nation’s capital, it may seem like your to-do list is never ending. While it can be a busy time, you are never too busy to protect your business through trademark registration services.

Imagine this scenario: Grace is an event planner in the D.C. area that sees a need to match engaged couples with wedding vendors. She works with a developer for months to create an app called MatchMade. Then, she devotes her time to sign vendors up to the app before it becomes available to the public. Grace is so busy with her many tasks, she decides to put off trademark registration until a later date.

If Grace had taken the time to conduct a trademark search with the help of a trademark attorney, she would have learned that another developer had filed a trademark application for the same name months before. This developer’s app was also wedding related, matching brides to boutiques where they can find their dream dresses. Because there is a strong likelihood of confusion between the two applications, Grace must now halt downloads and take the costly and time consuming steps to rebrand her venture.

We understand that starting a new business is can be a hectic time. When you partner with Gerben IP, you can remain focused on starting your business, while we focus on securing your trademark registration. Contact us today to learn more about our reasonable, flat rate trademark registration services.

Top 5 questions Washington, DC businesses have about obtaining a trademark.

What is a trademark?

A trademark can be anything that will represent your brand in the marketplace. Things like business names, product names, logos, and slogans are commonly trademarked, but even colors, sounds, and smells can become registered trademarks.

AM I Required by Law to Register my Trademark?

The United States is a common law country, which means you will have some protections for your mark simply by using it in the marketplace. These protections, however, are extremely limited. For example, you will only be protected in the small geographic area where your business is located, making it difficult to expand outside the D.C. area in the future. You’ll also have a more challenging time asserting your trademark rights in legal proceedings. In order to have full protection of your mark and the presumption of validity nationwide, you will need to register your trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO.

When should I start the process to register my trademark?

Trademark registration should be one of your first priorities when starting a new business. Before you decide on a mark and begin to use it in the marketplace, it’s critical to know if that mark is available for use. Moving forward without that knowledge could lead to costly and time consuming rebranding later on, if it turns out your mark is already in use. Contact Gerben IP today to start the process of protecting your brand through trademark registration.

When can I start to use the ® symbol?

Once your trademark application has been approved by the USPTO, you will be able to use the ® symbol. Before obtaining approval, you can use the ™ symbol. Using ® prior to registration can be tempting, but it’s important to know that using it before your mark has been approved is a fraud, and it could cause your trademark application to be canceled.

What should I do if I think someone is infringing on my trademark?

If you suspect potential infringement, it’s important to take action quickly (read more on how to report an infringement). However, it’s best to partner with a trademark attorney to assist you in the matter. Your attorney can evaluate the unique situation and make a determination about the best way to move forward. Often, a cease-and-desist letter is all you’d need to put the infringer on notice, but in some instances, your attorney might recommend more formal legal action.


Common misperceptions about trademarks heard around Washington, DC.

Trademarks, copyrights, and patents are all essentially the same.

While trademarks, copyrights, and patents are all forms of intellectual property, each protects something different. Trademarks, for instance, protect those things that represent your brand, like business names, product names, and logos. Copyrights, on the other hand, protect works of authorship, like art, song lyrics, and poetry, while patents protect new and novel inventions.

Another business is using the same trademark, so I cannot register it for myself.

This is not true in all instances. The USPTO does allow businesses to use similar trademarks, as long as there is no likelihood of confusion in the marketplace. For example, both Dove Chocolates and Dove Soap have registered the word ‘Dove’ because consumers aren’t likely to confuse soap with chocolate. If you are unsure about the availability of a particular mark, contact Gerben IP.

I don’t need permission from a celebrity if I plan to trademark their name.

If you plan to use the name of a celebrity or public figure in your trademark, you must provide written and signed consent from that person. Every year, the USPTO rejects thousands of trademark applications including names of public figures, celebrities, and politicians without consent from the individual.

I only need one trademark registration to protect all of my trademarks.

Each trademark application can only include one trademark, so it is likely that you will need to file multiple trademark applications. For example, your business name, product name, and logo will each require its own registration. Therefore, you would need to file three different trademark applications.

15+
Years of Experience
10,000+
Trademark Searches
Completed
7,500+
Trademarks Federally
Registered
5
Customer Service

Testimonials from our Clients in Washington D.C.

“Trademark applications are never straightforward. When we required help with our US application we researched a number of law firms. We chose Gerben as we felt they were knowledgeable and proactive. Our experience with Gerben Law Firm exceeded all expectations we had. They set the standard of what is expected from a legal representative.”

— Sam Janout

“I searched for a company to register several trademarks for our growing company and time was of the essence. After speaking with several people at various companies, I contacted Josh Gerben from the Gerben IP. Simply put, Josh is amazing. He was so much more knowledgeable than the others out there. …”

— Cory Chalmers

“We have used the Gerben Law Firm since we started our business 6 years ago. We filed our original Trade Mark using Josh as well as additional Trade Marks, renewals and an infringement issue. Their communication is excellent and they are patient in answering questions about the processes that deal with Trade Marks and the Government. A great team to have on your side.”

— Larry Brennan

“Very smooth experience with prompt email replies. Have been registering trademarks for years now with Josh.”

— Paul Salame

“Very professional. Great service. Directions are written so anyone can understand the legalese. I highly recommend Mr. Gerben and his staff. A perfect experience!”

— Jody Sandler

“Working with Josh on getting my title trademarked was the best investment I ever made in the book publishing industry! The momentum is limitless!”

— Wanda Obermeier

“Their team conducted a professional and very streamlined process for a trademark. I also appreciated the fast responses and abundance of information provided, I will definitely recommend this company to others.”

— Jared Heisler

Gerben Intellectual Property

Contact our office in
Washington, DC

1050 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036

202-294-2287

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