Any business owners?

I need your help.

I have designed a logo for my company and would like to get it trademarked and patented. I know about the USPTO website but I was hoping to get some member feedback and advice.

Do you own a business?
Have you ever applied for a trademark/patent?
How did you do it?
Can you share how the process went?
Did you hire an attorney? Are they needed/necessary?
Any other advice?

You can respond here, email me or U2U me.

[email protected]

Thank you in advance.

Use the initials TM next to your trademark while your logo's design is being registered, then replace it with the encircled R when the process is complete, if ever.

The process is just bureaucratic and mind-deadening.

An attorney will accelerate the process. If it's something you want done urgently, use a patent attorney and tell him you want him to manage the registration process through once only, no resubmissions. Have all your research on anything that may cause barriers complete before you engage the attorney.

Thanks MA for your input. Sorry it took so long to reply. I have filed my application. I choose to go with a patent/trademark attorney. Its easier that way. You're right, way to much bs getting it completed. Takes forever and everything has to be very specific. Have you ever done this before? If so, is your process complete? What did you submit?

Thanks

Sorry to be so quick in my reply.

I have registered a number of logos and marks through a Patent Attorney firm, they are protected in markets of interest, only a couple in the US.

Line drawings and detailed scale diagrams and verbal physical descriptions and an account of product/category/market and trading history, and proof of uniqueness, and in one case an exception report on someone who had 'borrowed' a part of an image and a word for an unrelated business (not by accident).

The commercial value of brand image becomes worth preserving when it has a strong franchise and a value in goodwill - not often from inception - so it's a high cost of a business start-up.

My general disposition is that lawyers like to fee-build and get paid on attendances rather than results (with apologies to BoutTime and others). Finding exceptions to that rule is key to avoiding frustration... they do exist. Or make some friends who are lawyers who will do work at near pro bono as contra for something you offer, LOL.