Own it everywhere.
Federal registration protects your name across all 50 states, not only where you do business today.
A trademark isn't paperwork. It's the difference between a name you use and a name you own.
15 minute call with a licensed trademark attorney. No obligation.
Federal registration protects your name across all 50 states, not only where you do business today.
Registration gives you nationwide priority and real leverage against names that could confuse your customers. Your cease and desist letters carry weight, and you can sue in federal court and recover damages.
A registered trademark is a business asset. Investors, buyers, and partners can check for it.
Clients We've Assisted
The Real Cost
Filing costs a few hundred dollars. Every problem below costs far more, and most of them show up after you have already built something.
Whether you're sued or suing, litigation is what skipping registration actually costs you. Filing runs a few hundred dollars. Fighting it out in court runs six figures.
Unregistered rights only cover where you've actually done business, and you have to prove it. If someone else files first, they get the nationwide presumption of ownership. You're stuck proving prior use after the fact.
Amazon Brand Registry and similar tools require a registered trademark (or at least a filed application). Without one, sellers can't report knockoffs or stop someone from hijacking their listing.
If someone else has stronger rights, you may be forced to rebrand after you've already built your domain, social handles, and search rankings. Delaying doesn't protect that investment, it just delays finding out you never owned the name.
Forming an LLC only reserves your name with the state for tax and corporate purposes. It doesn't stop someone else from using a similar name nationwide, and it gives you none of the enforcement rights a federal trademark registration does.
Our own registration

We know what federal registration means because we have protected the Softriver name, too.
Your brand deserves the same clear path from search to registration, led by a licensed trademark attorney.
Timing
Most founders wait until they're making real money to think about trademark protection. By then, competitors have had months, sometimes years, to copy the name. Fixing that costs far more than preventing it.
Registering early is cheaper. It also gives you leverage from day one. You don't need your first million to protect what you're building. You need it protected before you get there.
Fees & Process
You know the cost of the search, filing, and continued support before any work starts.
Direct communication throughout. No transfer to a case manager.
Real USPTO wait times, stated plainly. Not a marketing promise.
You know in advance what an Office Action response costs, if one is needed.
No radio silence between USPTO actions.
Trademark Prosecution
An attorney searches by hand and gives you a clear risk report before you file.
We draft the classification, description, and proof of use for USPTO examination.
If the USPTO pushes back, we write the response.
If everything goes smoothly, registration usually lands in about 1 to 1.5 years. Then you can drop the TM and use ®.
The Offer
$987 flat attorney fee, plus the USPTO filing fee of $350 per class.
What Our Clients Say
I hired Softriver Legal to file my trademark in the United States (via the USPTO), and honestly, it was impeccable from start to finish.
Ultra responsive communication, a smooth process, and zero hassle. Everything was wrapped up in just a few exchanges. It's rare to come across a legal service that is both this efficient and pleasant to work with.
I recommend them 100%.
I had a great experience working with the Softriver Legal team. The entire process was very clear and seamless, making it easy to secure my brand without dealing with confusing or unnecessary administrative steps.
Everything went smoothly from start to finish, and overall it was a great experience. I'd definitely recommend Softriver Legal to anyone looking for a straightforward way to protect their brand.
Subject manner expertise and In depth expertise was important to decision making. Their advice and research were well communicated and exactly what the team needed. Would definitely engage in future projects requiring trademark expertise.
Absolutely superb experience and you should hire Softriver Legal for any trademark needs.
Fast and accurate trademark application submission.
Trademark Basics
Most of these take 5 minutes to understand and change how protected your business actually is.
Infringement suits typically run $350,000+ to resolve. A search and registration costs a tiny fraction of that.
An LLC or DBA protects your paperwork, not your name. Only a federal trademark protects the name itself.
A registered mark lets you file a simple complaint to take knockoffs down. Without one, most platforms won't look at it.
If someone else owns rights to your name, you may be forced to change it. New logo, new site, new packaging, and lost customers.
Unregistered rights cover only where you already do business. A federal trademark covers all 50 states.
The USPTO refuses new applications too close to your registered mark. The system does the fighting for you.
Registrations are public. Anyone checking before picking a name will see yours and steer clear.
Courts can award up to three times your actual damages. Registration makes these stronger remedies available.
The ® symbol is only for registered marks. It's real proof the name is legally yours.
A registered mark is an asset. You can license it, sell it, or use it to raise your company's value.
Registration isn't a formality. It's the difference between a name you use and a name you own.
This is general information, not legal advice. Your facts can change any of these outcomes.
Questions
No. You can file based on a genuine intent to use the name, before you sell anything. Waiting does not protect you. Filing does.
No. An LLC is a tax and liability structure, not a trademark. It doesn't stop someone else from using or registering a similar name.
Anyone can use TM. It means you believe you have rights. ® is reserved for names that are actually federally registered. Using it before that isn't a style choice, it's a real problem.
Almost certainly a scam. The USPTO never calls, texts, or demands urgent payment. Check your application status yourself on USPTO's TSDR system, and never pay based on a cold call.
Yes. A federal registration covers the whole country from day one, even if you're only operating locally today. That matters the moment you grow.
No. Trademark rights are country by country. A U.S. registration protects you in the U.S. only. International protection needs separate filings.
It's common, and usually not the end of the road. Most rejections (called Office Actions) can be answered with the right legal argument or evidence.
For most businesses, the name matters most. People search for your name, not your logo. Registering the logo too is often optional.
Look them up directly in their state bar's public attorney directory. Never just trust a name and license number typed on a website or marketplace profile.
Not automatically. Someone may still legally own that name even after a company closes. Always check before using a name that used to belong to someone else.
Read what the guarantee actually covers. No company controls how the USPTO rules on an application. A guarantee may cover a separate product or only certain situations, rather than the registration outcome itself.
Services can include different work. Our $987 flat attorney fee includes an clearance search reviewed by an attorney and responses to procedural and minor USPTO refusals. You see what is included before we begin.
Expect about a week between major updates, such as a legal opinion, filing confirmation, or request for more information. Busy periods can stretch that to two weeks. We email you proof of filing once your application is submitted.
Need it filed right away? Add expedited filing for $150 on the form.
The USPTO generally takes about 4 to 5 months for a first response. Current USPTO wait times are here. If everything goes smoothly, registration usually lands in about 1 to 1.5 years. That's when you can switch from TM to ®.
Basic information only. No business formation documents or sales invoices are required. Our form asks for everything we need: the name, logo, or slogan, your goods or services, and your mailing address. If anything else comes up, we'll ask.
Yes. A maintenance filing is due between the 5th and 6th year after registration. A renewal is due between the 9th and 10th year.
Cost depends on your number of classes and your filing basis. Email us for a quote.
We try to remind you, but these deadlines are years out, so we can't guarantee it.
Yes. With an attorney licensed in the U.S. representing you, a foreign home or business address is fine. You can file as an individual or a business. No extra cost or paperwork.
Using a foreign application or registration as your filing basis costs an extra $50 per class, because the goods and services wording has to be adapted to the U.S. Trademark Identification Manual. We invoice that separately after you submit the form.
Either works. Filing under a business entity means you won't have to reassign the trademark if you sell the business.
It also keeps your personal details out of public search results. Websites crawl the USPTO database, so individual filers often see their name, mailing address, and country of citizenship show up on Google.
A flat $800 to draft and file a response that requires legal argument. For example, a refusal based on a likelihood of confusion, meaning your name is too close to one already registered. This price applies when we take over an application you already filed.
Two applications are required. For the same brand, we charge an extra $390 professional fee plus the extra $350 filing fee. That is $740 more in total for one class.
For most businesses, register the name in plain text first, as its own application. The logo is best handled separately.
You can file one application for a logo containing your name, but we don't recommend it. Redesign the logo later and you risk losing protection for the name.
Choose word, logo, or both on the form.
If you're already selling, we find your website or listing and take a screenshot ourselves. If we can't find it, we'll ask you for a photo of your product or advertising.
Not selling yet? We generally file based on intent to use. If the application succeeds, a later statement of use is due, at $350 per class ($150 government fee plus our $200 fee).
If you're still not selling within six months of initial approval (a Notice of Allowance), you can get up to five extensions of six months each. Each costs a bit less than the statement of use fee.
These later fees cover deadline tracking, reminders, and specimen help months after filing. Already selling when we file? You won't pay them.
$500 per extra class. $350 goes to the USPTO, and the rest covers labor and payment processing.
We can usually tell from your goods and services list, or you can flag it in "Additional Notes." The form only charges for one class, so we invoice extras separately. We never file for multiple classes without asking you first.
See the list of 45 trademark classes.
Look up which class your goods or services fall into.
Most clients only need one class. U.S. protection is generally broad: own the name for pillows and bedsheets, and a competitor selling mattress toppers under your name is in serious trouble.
Generally, no. Brand names belong in trademark law, not copyright. Logos are brand identifiers too, so register them as trademarks. You can copyright a logo, but it's far less useful than a trademark.
15 minutes. No obligation. Straight answer on whether your name is safe to register.