trademark

  • Fifty Dollars a Signature: The Continued Rise of Trademark Filing Mills

    Fifty Dollars a Signature: The Continued Rise of Trademark Filing Mills

    Anthony Cartee

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    Fifty dollars a signature. That’s what one company offered me for putting my name, and my law license, on up to 150 U.S. trademark applications a month. I said no. A few attorneys who get that same offer don’t. What They Were Actually Asking For This wasn’t really an offer to hire an attorney. It was an offer to rent one. Click approve, and their system would enter all the application information and file with the USPTO, no real review required beyond that single click. Three to five minutes per case, they told me, and the status updates would take… Read More

  • The Accidental Franchise: Trademark Licensing and the Dangers of Overreach

    The Accidental Franchise: Trademark Licensing and the Dangers of Overreach

    Anthony Cartee

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    How to Avoid Creating an Accidental Franchise Accidental franchise? Franchise law is complex and can be difficult to navigate. This article provides tips on how to avoid creating an accidental franchise, even if you do not intend to do so. The word “franchise” likely brings to mind big brands like McDonald’s, Dunkin’, 7-Eleven, or Taco Bell, among others. But forming a franchise relationship is much more common than most business owners realize, even when two parties may not intend to form such a relationship. Creating an accidental franchise can have serious implications and requires business owners to navigate complex federal… Read More