Name it, Claim it.

The legal evolution of your business name:

1. When you name your business, you’re claiming limited default legal rights in your business name. Since these rights are usually very limited and won’t protect you nationwide, business owners seek to protect their business name(s) through trademark protection. Also, picking a business name does not guarantee you are safe to continue using it.

2. You can apply for trademark protection at the state or federal level, catapulting your business in the right direction of future protection. At this time, we usually tell our clients to start using the “TM” symbol to claim their existing rights (if they have not already).

3. Once *fully* registered, you may use the ®️ symbol to claim the full rights in your trademark. IMPORTANT: you can’t use this symbol unless you’re registered!


Where are you in your business journey? Drop a 1, 2, or 3 below!

*Disclaimer: This post is strictly for general informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice.