If you have filed a trademark application with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (known as “USPTO” or just “PTO” for short), you may have received an email or a package from that office stating that your application has been initially refused for any number of reasons. Don’t panic—getting an initial refusal from the PTO is almost par for the course with trademark applications. Even trademark attorneys, try as we might, rarely submit perfect applications the first time. Often, the refusal is because the description you wrote of the kinds of goods and services you plan to offer for sale under your trademark doesn’t fit into the special language required by the PTO. These kinds of refusals are usually easily curable if handled correctly, although there may be additional filing fees involved.
Of course, we encourage you to call us before you file the application, because we can often help to avoid a number of these kinds of refusals. Really, it will save you money in the long run!
At Rick Sanders Law, we help you realize that patience is part of the legal process. We will advise you to all the costs involved with your projects, including the timeframes you can usually expect. Contact us to see how we can start the clock on your project’s success.
For a little more about refusals, click here.
