Brian Russ Law, Inc. is a United States trademark law firm centered on helping businesses build and protect their brands. We appreciate the need to distinguish your brand from your competitors. A small business owner and serial entrepreneur, lawyer Brian recognizes the worries of small business owners and how securing brand protection is critical when setting your business apart from the competition. Brian works with corporations throughout the USA work through common trademarking issues like clearance searches, infringement assessment, trademark registration, USPTO office action responses, infringement litigation, use defense, and more. If you’re looking for top-notch trademark legal support in Iowa City, Iowa, then you’ve come to the right place.

“Wait a second,” you may be wondering, “I saw Brian Russ Law, Inc. a California law firm? Can they help clients outside of California, like in Iowa City or Iowa?” Yes! We help customers anywhere with trademark registration support services. The USPTO allows attorneys licensed anywhere in the United States to represent clients in USPTO proceedings. Also learn more at our trademark-specific site at BrianTheTrademarkLawyer.com.

What Is A Trademark Attorney?

A trademark lawyer is a lawyer who specializes in practicing in the field of trademarks. Trademark lawyers typically have experience in the entire trademark lifecycle from the critical clearance search all the way through litigation support. When choosing a lawyer to protect you’re the brand of your enterprise, make sure to work with a lawyer who has no problem working in Iowa City, like Brian Russ Law, Inc. 

How Can a Trademark Attorney Help Your Company?

Protecting brands is a trademark lawyer's primary role. Businesses are in the best position to protect their logo if they take a proactive strategy. Our firm's seen many companies make the mistake of spending tens of thousands of dollars on merchandise and putting in hours of marketing time only to find out they can't use their preferred brand. Intellectual property protection is a key element for startups - especially those that heavily rely on brand recognition to drive market engagement. Give us a call if you want to lock down your business's name with federal trademark protection. 

What To Look For In a Trademark Lawyer

The best way a business entrepreneur can protect their name is to take action. Doing trademark work without an attorney's support is just as problematic as doing nothing. A good United States trademark lawyer can help any size company in any industry across the world secure trademark protection in the United States. When choosing a trademark counselor, consider their experience and online reviews as well as how personable they are. It’s important to find a lawyer with who you can comfortably discuss brand strategy because that will lead to the best synergy for your business. 

The Top Three Areas Small Businesses Need Trademark Support

1.	BUSINESS NAME REGISTRATION
We commonly see business owners think that setting up an LLC or filing a DBA/FBN statement means their company name is trademarked and safe from challenge. This is not correct. Registering an LLC or a Fictitious Business Name Statement does not equal trademark protection. The main issue here is that the Secretary of State and your county recorder don’t cross-reference trademarks with business names. So you can get the Secretary of State and county approval to use your business name, but you’re still exposed to potential trademark infringement liability because your name might infringe on someone’s trademark. It's important for any business owner to retain a lawyer to assess the trademark risk of using their business name. 
2. BRAND PROTECTION
Small businesses have a lot to worry about, but brand protection should not be one of them. Imagine this – you start a taco restaurant on the main drag of Iowa City} called “Tommy Tequila’s Good Eats” and you spend decades building your reputation. You neglect, however, to federally register your business’s name. You happen to go to Vegas for the weekend, and you find a new restaurant with the same exact name as your business. Sadly, your options for enforcement and protection would be limited since you have no federal protection for your brand’s name and the Vegas pub is across state lines. Another hard scenario is how to deal with a cease-and-desist notice when your brand name is the same as one that was federally registered by another company prior to you using yours. 
3. INFRINGEMENT STRATEGY.
It is important to have a playbook in place in case someone infringes on your brand. There may be cases where businesses infringe on your brand without realizing it. In some cases, the infringer will stop when a attorney sends a letter demanding that they stop. If your trademark is being intentionally and maliciously exploited, you need to take appropriate measures to protect your business. A state lawsuit might be needed to get a temporary and permanent injunction to stop the infringer. You can also try to recover damages including lost profits. 

Trademark Lawyer Brian Russ is Excited to Serve Iowa City} Creatives

The answer is easy – callconnect with} Brian Russ Law, Inc. today. We’re fielding calls from potential new clients every day. Having an lawyer on your team to protect your logo can help you avoid costly mistakes and give you invaluable peace of mind.