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.

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

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, DC

Martin BeardshallMartin Beardshall ★★★★★ An excellent service provided by Josh and his team.Would heartily recommend, especially to those that have little or no knowledge of the US trademark and IP laws.johnny runnerjohnny runner ★★★★★ Terrific firm to work with! Process was straight forward, smooth, and efficient. Everything was completed on time, and in order. Very happy to have found them. Would definitely recommend to anyone else needing a top IP firm!Eric WarrenEric Warren ★★★★★ I highly recommend Gerben IP they were very professional and help us accomplish what we needed to trademark our brand..Solon PapageorgiouSolon Papageorgiou ★★★★★ Excellent people, service and they deliver on what they promise! Highly recommended!Casti CimpianCasti Cimpian ★★★★★ My organization used them recently and the whole process was smooth and professional.Berkay MollamustafaogluBerkay Mollamustafaoglu ★★★★★ Used Gerben IP for our trademark registration. Smooth experience, descent price. recommended!Aston GoldsworthyAston Goldsworthy ★★★★★ I have used these guys for 8-9 years. They do a great job of getting trade marks approved and defending your mark when others try to use it.Scrub DudeScrub Dude ★★★★★ Very positive experience with Gerben IP. Love the automations they have setup and the diligence in which they handle our account.Colin CorbyColin Corby ★★★★★ We have used Gerben Perrott for our trademark management for many years now. Josh, Eric and Chad have always been professional, knowledgeable, responsive and helpful. Highly recommended.Natasha TarnovskayaNatasha Tarnovskaya ★★★★★ Exceptional services for several years now! Highly recommend!Jason TJason T ★★★★★ They get the job done. They are attentive and respectful.A SA S ★★★★★ We had applied for a trademark registration of our topical skincare product brand name through Gerben Law. We liked the flat fee structure. Josh was himself leading his capable team. When we received communication from USPTO not approving our application Gerben Law team represented us so well in the appeal that we succeeded in winning it. I would certainly recommend Gerben LawSimon LesserSimon Lesser ★★★★★ Gerben Law Firm helped us respond to an office action and get our trademark registered. Throughout the process, they provided excellent communication and advice, were personable, and very fair.Radu StrimbeanuRadu Strimbeanu ★★★★★ Carroll S. RichCarroll S. Rich ★★★★★ The lawyers @ Gerben Intellectual Property are the best in the business! I called them for their services which I had no clue to the process of trademarking my clothing brand. I was very informed on every step of the process and they delivered like the professionals that they are. I would recommend anybody needing trademark services to definitely let this firm represent you!Steve AycockSteve Aycock ★★★★★ So coolB TB T ★★★★★ Josh's firm is first rate. Professional, quick, very reasonably priced and extremely knowledgeable in this space. Trademarks are a pain for business owners to deal with. Josh takes the pain out of the process.larry mcGaughlarry mcGaugh ★★★★★ Robert ClarkRobert Clark ★★★★★ I cannot thank you enough for your work and guidance through this process. After having spoken to at least 5 other trademark attorneys and being told everything from "change your name right away before you get sued" to "it's best to just let this sit and fly under the radar for about 5 years before trying to get this trademarked" it is almost surreal that 1 year after starting the process with you my trademark is now in hand. Thank you!Jared HeislerJared Heisler ★★★★★ Their team for conducted a professional and very streamline process for a trademark. I also appreciated the fast responses and abundance of information provided, I will definitely recommend this company to others.Nicole Lindsey-HepnerNicole Lindsey-Hepner ★★★★★ I consulted with Gerben Law firm concerning my trade mark and received advice.I wasn’t pressured into services and received an prompt email response from them regarding my inquiry when most firms don’t respond or respond late.I respect this firms eagerness.Kevin GrahamKevin Graham ★★★★★ They were very professional. Josh and Eric both were incredibly helpful in answering my questions thoroughly and promptly. I will be using them again when needed.Tal SagieTal Sagie ★★★★★ Very professional, great service and best value for money. Highly recommended!Paul SalamePaul Salame ★★★★★ Very smooth experience with prompt email replies. Have been registering trademarks for years now with Josh.Tim DuttonTim Dutton ★★★★★ I appreciate all the work that Josh and Gerben Law Firm has done for my company in regards to our trademarks. Josh's communication is very clear and timely and keeps you up to date on when you need to renew your data to keep your Trademarks protected, I will continue to have Josh and his company take care of my needs for the future, keep up the great work!js_loader
Gerben IP

Contact our office in
Washington, DC

1050 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036

202-294-2287

Back to top