Trademark & Brand Protection

Knobbe Martens provides trademark and brand protection services that help companies build, manage, and defend the brands that define them in the marketplace. Our trademark lawyers bring deep knowledge of trademark law and commercial brand strategy to every engagement, guiding clients from early-stage brand selection and trademark clearance searches through registration, portfolio management, enforcement, and litigation. Working in close partnerships, our trademark and litigation teams develop strategies that protect and advance our clients’ brand equity and business objectives. We are consistently ranked among the nation’s leading intellectual property firms for trademark work by industry and trade publications and organizations.

Who We Represent in Trademark and Brand Protection Matters

Our firm represents clients ranging from emerging startups and individual brand owners to Fortune 500 companies across a wide range of industries, including consumer products such as sporting goods, apparel, cosmetics, toys, and food and beverages; financial and insurance services; high tech, including semiconductors; medical devices and pharmaceuticals; automobiles; software and hardware; blockchain and cryptocurrency; fashion and beauty; sports and gaming; restaurants and hospitality; and cleantech.

We help trademark owners establish strong brand identities, secure registered trademarks in the United States and abroad, and enforce their rights against infringement, counterfeiting, and dilution. Whether a client is launching a new product, entering a new market, or managing a global brand portfolio, we tailor our trademark strategy to that client’s commercial goals and competitive landscape.

Our Trademark and Brand Protection Services

Knobbe Martens offers end-to-end trademark and brand protection services supported by a nationwide team of lawyers dedicated to trademark and branding matters. Our team includes experienced trademark prosecutors, litigators, and international filing specialists who practice law before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), federal and state courts, and international bodies including the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).  Our attorneys also have experience protecting and enforcing marks internationally through the firm’s extensive network of local counsel. This depth allows us to handle every stage of a trademark’s lifecycle, from initial trademark search and application through enforcement and complex dispute resolution. Clients also benefit from built-in efficiency through dedicated docket specialists, international specialists, and research services focused on trademarks.

Trademark Searching, Registration and Enforcement

Establishing a trademark is often pivotal to the success of any new company, product, or service. A strong trademark allows a brand to claim a meaningful position and competitive advantage in the marketplace. Our trademark search and clearance process is designed to identify potential conflicts before a trademark applicant invests in filing. We conduct comprehensive trademark clearance searches across federal, state, and international registration databases as well as common law sources, and our lawyers provide clear, business-minded legal advice on the registrability and strength of proposed marks and practical marketplace risks associated with a new mark. Every trademark applicant can benefit from trademark searching, which our attorneys also use to develop strategies for reducing the risk of refusal by an examining attorney at the USPTO and for developing business-tailored strategies for mitigating risks with existing trademark owners.

Once a trademark application is filed, we guide clients through the prosecution process before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), respond to office actions, and manage the path to registration. Beyond registration, we provide ongoing enforcement counsel, including watching services, cease-and-desist actions, licensing, and litigation. We maintain an in-house educational program that keeps our team current on relevant case law and emerging issues in trademark law in the United States and internationally.

TTAB Proceedings

Knobbe Martens views every proceeding before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) as distinct and worthy of experienced counsel. We handle oppositions, cancellations, concurrent use proceedings, and ex parte appeals, evaluating the claims, defenses, evidence, and merits of each case in light of our client’s strategic and business goals. Our lawyers are experienced in all phases of TTAB proceedings, including settlement conferences, initial and expert disclosures, creation and review of expert reports and testimony, and trial. Given that changes in Trademark Trial and Appeal Board procedures have made them more closely resemble civil litigation, we apply proven litigation skills to resolve cases through early settlement or through full trial when warranted. Our TTAB practice is informed by close coordination between our prosecution and litigation teams, allowing us to align TTAB strategy with parallel enforcement efforts and broader portfolio objectives.

International Trademarks

Our team has filed applications and enforced trademarks in nearly every country in the world, spanning APAC, EMEA, and the Americas. We are deeply familiar with the distinct legal, language, and cultural factors that shape trademark filings across key jurisdictions including China, Japan, India, and other APAC markets; the UK, Germany, France, and the broader EU, along with the Middle East and Africa; and Canada, Mexico, and This enables a streamlined foreign filing process that accounts for each client’s broader corporate goals. Clients also gain an advantage from our network of hundreds of trusted foreign lawyers and trademark agents, selected for their deep understanding of local jurisdictions and their high level of legal advice and service. We can identify and address potential registration issues early through actions such as negotiating licenses, consent or coexistence agreements, acquiring rights, or bringing challenges to third-party registrations.

Domain Name and Website Content Disputes

Knobbe Martens has earned an international reputation in domain name disputes and the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in website content. We handle civil litigation and Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) proceedings for a wide variety of clients, and we represent trademark owners before WIPO, the National Arbitration Forum (NAF), and other domain dispute arbitration centers. Our experience includes audits, procurement and policy development, policing, investigation, and takedowns of infringing content from social media platforms and e-commerce sites. We help clients with domain names, and we enforce and defend claims under the Anti-Cybersquatting Prevention Act, the Trademark Act, the Copyright Act, and related statutes. We also coordinate matters involving country-code top-level domains worldwide, wherever our clients do business.

Trademark and Unfair Competition Litigation

When disputes arise, our trademark litigation and unfair competition lawyers advocate for clients from initial complaint through appeal. Our litigation experience covers claims of trademark infringement, counterfeiting, trade dress infringement, false advertising, unfair competition, rights of publicity, domain name disputes, and related state law claims. We represent both plaintiffs and defendants in U.S. district courts and state courts nationwide and advise clients on proceedings involving false and misleading advertising claims before the Better Business Bureau National Advertising Division (NAD) and the FTC. We take a business-focused approach that weighs litigation risk against brand value and commercial objectives. Where appropriate, we position cases for settlement and guide clients through mediation.

Why Clients Choose Knobbe Martens

Knobbe Martens’ clients benefit from a trademark and brand protection team that combines deep knowledge of trademark law with a clear understanding of business and brand strategy. We handle trademark matters across industries and geographies, with a focus on building brand portfolios that stand up to scrutiny before the trademark office, in litigation, and in the global marketplace. Our lawyers are practical, hands-on advocates who work as an extension of our clients’ teams, committed to protecting the brands that drive their businesses forward.