Ask HN: US Trademark Registration Services

[tasdev]

Hey all

I'm an Aussie and I need to trademark my startup name in the US. I'm filing the trademark here in the next day or so and don't have 7 months to wait to lodge via the Madrid System so I will need to engage with either a US-based attorney or trademark registration service.

Can anyone recommend services they've been happy with? I have Trademark Engine on my radar as it's cheap ($99 USD + USPTO fees) and seems well reviewed so I'm keen to hear anything first hand about them.

[verdverm]

I would recommend a real lawyer over a cheap service like that. Who's going to handle and strategize for a rebuttal letter?

Have you been using it commercially already?

[tasdev]

Hi, my thoughts were I would engage an attorney when required if I needed to send a CND. I don’t think that I’ll have any issues getting the trademark registered. It’s a largely obsolete English word but there is nothing similar that’s already registered.

I’m waiting to get the trademark process started before I launch, so little commercial use thus far.

[verdverm]

You have to show commercial use afaiui, in order to get the trademark in the first place. You have to submit evidence as such as part of the application.

This prevents name squatting

[tasdev]

Thanks! Turns out I need to file an Intent to Use - very different to the way it's handled here in Australia.

[verdverm]

Yeah, from my experience, it's a few thousand dollars, so if you have cash to burn, it's not too bad, but you probably don't need it until you have a stable cash influx