One of the first decisions entrepreneurs make is the name of their business. Your clients may come to you and ask about protecting that business name so others don’t use it. Whether your client is just starting out or expanding an empire with a new venture, you’ll need to be prepared with the right guidance. Do you need to partner with a lawyer? How do you safeguard your clients’ IP in the process? What can be (and cannot be) protected?

Nellie Akalp, CEO of CorpNet.com, will go over in detail all the options to safeguard a business name including registering the name officially with the state(s) where it operates and/or applying for a trademark.

Learning Objectives:

• Recall the steps needed to register a business name


• Identify the protection offered from registering a business name


• Determine how to secure a trademark with the USPTO


• Determine how to establish common law rights in a mark