Find the risk before you invest in the name
An attorney-directed clearance search, evaluated by a former USPTO Trademark Examining Attorney, before you spend on branding, packaging, or filing fees.
A name can feel available and still carry meaningful conflict risk. John reviews federal records and relevant marketplace use, then delivers a written risk assessment so you can decide whether to proceed, adjust the name, or reconsider, before the cost of changing course goes up.
Three levels of searching.
Preliminary knockout search
A quick, narrow check for identical or near-identical marks, used early to rule out obvious conflicts before deeper work is worthwhile.
Federal register search
A closer review of the USPTO’s database of pending and registered marks, looking beyond exact matches for wording, sound, meaning, and commercial impression that could create a conflict.
Broader common-law & marketplace search
A review of unregistered, marketplace-visible use, business names, product listings, domain names, and similar sources, since rights in the United States can exist without a federal registration.
What John evaluates.
A search produces raw results. The value is in the legal judgment applied to them, the same factors a USPTO examining attorney is trained to weigh.
- Appearance of the marks side by side
- Sound when spoken aloud
- Meaning and connotation
- Overall commercial impression
- Relatedness of the goods or services involved
- Channels of trade in which each mark is used or sold
- Strength or weakness of any wording the marks share
- Whether similar marks already coexist on the register
- Actual marketplace use beyond the federal register
What you receive.
Included with a clearance search
- Written risk assessment
- Overall risk rating
- Identification of key conflicts, if any
- Strategic options for moving forward
- A filing recommendation
- A strategy call to review the results together
Why a free search isn’t the same thing.
| Search type | Useful for | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Exact Google search | A quick first check for identical business or product names in general use. | Finds only exact or near-exact text matches; misses federal filings, similar-sounding marks, and relatedness of goods and services. |
| USPTO exact-word search | Confirming whether an identical word mark is already registered or pending in the same wording. | Misses phonetic equivalents, translations, design elements, and marks that are similar rather than identical. |
| Attorney-directed clearance search | Evaluating conflict risk the way a USPTO examining attorney would, across appearance, sound, meaning, and relatedness of goods or services. | Cannot guarantee the absence of all claims. |
Common use cases.
Naming a new company
Clearing a name before it becomes your legal entity name and public identity.
Launching a product
Checking a product name before packaging, tooling, or marketing spend is committed.
Rebranding
Clearing a replacement name before you retire the old one.
Selecting among finalists
Comparing conflict risk across a shortlist before choosing one name to move forward with.
Expanding internationally
Understanding U.S. risk before extending a mark used abroad into the United States.
Developing a podcast or course
Clearing a title before you build an audience or brand around it.
Preparing an Amazon launch
Clearing a brand name before enrolling in Amazon Brand Registry or launching a storefront.
Pricing, quoted in writing.
A clearance search starts at $295 for one proposed mark in one class, and includes the written risk assessment, risk rating, and strategy call described above. Searches covering additional marks or additional classes are quoted separately once the scope is understood.
If you retain the firm for a Full Filing within 30 days after the search assessment, the full search fee will be credited toward the filing attorney fee. The credit applies to the same proposed mark and begins on the date the written search assessment is delivered.
Know the risk before you commit to the name.
Tell John the name you are considering and how you plan to use it. You will leave the call with a clear description of the recommended search and a written flat-fee scope before any work begins.