Trademark Attorney | Protect Your Brand From Registration to Enforcement

Your brand is one of your company’s most valuable assets. At Schenk Law Firm, we help you protect it by conducting clearance searches, filing and prosecuting trademark applications with the USPTO, and advising on strategies to safeguard your intellectual property. From enforcement and licensing to international protection, we ensure your trademarks provide lasting value and security for your business.

Services We Provide

Our trademark attorney services cover the full life of a mark, from the first availability search through renewal and enforcement. As a full-service trademark law firm, we handle each service below with trademark lawyers who work with the USPTO every week. Whether you are still asking what is a trademark attorney or you are ready to file, the services below show exactly how we protect your mark.

Trademark clearance search

We check whether your mark is available before you invest in it, reviewing the federal register, common-law uses, and confusingly similar marks. Our guide to trademark vs. copyright vs. patent explains which type of protection fits your asset.

Federal trademark registration

We prepare and file through the USPTO's Trademark Center, the system that replaced TEAS in 2025, and select the correct classes so your filing stays clean.

Office action responses

If the USPTO issues an office action, we handle trademark office actions with the legal arguments and evidence needed to overcome the refusal and keep your priority date intact.

Trademark enforcement and infringement

When another company copies your brand, a trademark infringement attorney on our team can send a cease-and-desist demand, file before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, or bring an action in federal court.

Trademark licensing

We draft and negotiate license agreements that let you extend your brand into new products and markets while keeping quality control and protecting the revenue it generates.

International trademark registration

Through the Madrid Protocol, a U.S. owner can file one international application with the USPTO and seek protection across member countries (source: USPTO). We coordinate the filing and foreign counsel where a country requires it.

Renewal and maintenance

A federal registration lasts 10 years and renews indefinitely. We track the required maintenance filings, a Section 8 declaration in years five to six and a combined Sections 8 and 9 filing in years nine to ten, so a missed deadline never costs you the mark (source: USPTO).

David Lizerbram, Your Trademark Attorney

David Lizerbram, trademark attorney at The Schenk Law Firm

David Lizerbram leads trademark and intellectual property work at The Schenk Law Firm as the firm's lead trademark attorney, and has filed, prosecuted, and managed more than 800 trademark applications with the USPTO. Because USPTO practice is federal, a U.S. trademark attorney can represent applicants nationwide, and foreign-domiciled applicants are required to use one. Working with a U.S. trademark attorney who has managed applications at this volume means cleaner filings, fewer avoidable office actions, and a strategy built around how your brand will be used and defended. Read David's full bio.

How We Register and Protect Your Mark

Our trademark lawyers guide you through four stages, so you can plan your budget, your launch, and your filing date.

U.S. full availability trademark search. We confirm the mark is available and flag conflicts before you file.
Application filing. We file through the USPTO's Trademark Center and pay the $350-per-class base fee (source: USPTO). Filing early matters: under Section 7(c) of the Lanham Act, your filing date becomes a constructive-use date that gives nationwide priority over anyone who starts using the mark later.
USPTO examination. An examining attorney at the USPTO reviews the application and may issue an office action, which we respond to on your behalf.
Publication and registration. The mark is published for a 30-day opposition window, then registers if unopposed. Once registered, you can use the ® symbol, which only federally registered marks may display.

Who We Help

We help any business investing in a brand, and a few moments make a trademark attorney urgent: naming a new company or product, receiving a cease-and-desist letter, discovering a copycat, or expanding into new states or countries. Many owners protect the name at the same time they form their business entity. Owners often search for a trademark attorney near me or for lawyers for trademark filing, but USPTO practice is federal: a trademark attorney can represent you from anywhere, so a proven USPTO track record matters more than the closest trademark lawyers near me. If you are weighing lawyers for trademark help by location, comparing a trademark attorney near me or trademark lawyers near me on distance alone can be misleading.

Why Work With The Schenk Law Firm

The Schenk Law Firm is a full-service trademark law firm backed by a broader business advisory and transactions practice, so your brand protection connects to the rest of your legal needs. Our trademark attorneys handle federal USPTO matters nationwide from our base in San Diego, California, and our trademark lawyers track every filing deadline so nothing lapses. If your business is in Southern California, our trademark attorney San Diego team can also meet with you in person.

FAQS

Do I need a trademark attorney to register a trademark?

U.S.-domiciled applicants are not legally required to use one, but a skilled trademark attorney adds real value: correct classes, clean identifications, and strong office-action responses that experienced trademark attorneys provide. Foreign-domiciled applicants must use a U.S. licensed trademark attorney to file with the USPTO. That practical value is the real answer behind what is a trademark attorney and why owners hire one.

How much does a trademark attorney cost?

Your trademark cost will have two parts: the USPTO government fee and your attorney’s fee (which is typically a flat fee). If you’re looking for a clear quotation, get in contact with us today.

How long does trademark registration take?

Most applications take several months to over a year, depending on USPTO workload and whether an office action issues. The USPTO publishes current processing times you can check before filing.

What happens if someone infringes my trademark?

A trademark infringement attorney can send a cease-and-desist demand, file before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, or sue in federal court. The core question is whether the other mark is likely to confuse consumers.

Can a trademark attorney help with international registration?

Yes. Through the Madrid Protocol, a U.S. licensed trademark attorney files one international application and seeks protection across member countries, coordinating with foreign counsel where required.

What is the difference between ™ and ® symbols?

™ can be used with a brand to indicate a claim of rights even before registration. ® is reserved for marks registered with the USPTO.