Award-Winning Trademark Lawyers for Growing Businesses
Your brand isn’t just your logo — it’s your leverage. At Next Era Legal, we help scaling companies secure and strengthen their trademarks with legal strategy that aligns with growth, fundraising, and expansion. Whether you’re launching a new product, licensing your brand, or protecting your name from infringement, we deliver counsel that moves in step with your business.
With offices in Chicago, San Diego, Detroit, and Los Angeles, our trademark lawyers support businesses across the country with proactive, embedded legal solutions.
The Hidden Cost of Weak Brand Protection
Many founders view trademark protection as a one-time task — a filing to check off the list. But a trademark that isn’t carefully selected, properly registered, or actively enforced can lead to expensive rebrands, legal disputes, and missed opportunities.
That’s why we take a strategic approach to trademarks. Our attorneys help you build a smart, scalable portfolio that grows with your business.
What Makes Our Trademark Services Different?
We go beyond filings. We embed with your team to create a trademark strategy that supports your legal, operational, and investor goals.
Big-Picture Thinking
- We help you structure your trademark portfolio based on growth plans, product lines, and market expansion
- We anticipate risks before they derail launches, raises, or exits
- We don’t wait for problems, we create plans to avoid them
Ongoing Legal Partnership
- You get GC-level trademark guidance without hiring in-house
- We’re here to review brand decisions in real-time as your team scales
- Our lawyers become an extension of your business team
Investor-Focused Approach
- We make sure your trademarks are investor-ready
- Clean records, proper ownership, and enforceability all matter in due diligence
- Strategic IP can improve valuation and minimize red flags in M&A
Trademark Services We Offer
We offer three tiers of trademark support depending on where you are in your brand journey — from early-stage startups to multi-brand companies expanding globally.
Trademark Clearance & Registration
- Trademark availability searches
- USPTO filings with tailored strategy
- Responses to office actions and refusals
- Knockout screening for early-stage brand names
Portfolio Management
- Trademark audits to identify gaps and conflicts
- Maintenance and renewal planning
- IP organization across multiple entities or brands
- Licensing strategy and documentation
Trademark Disputes & Enforcement
- Cease-and-desist drafting and enforcement
- Infringement investigations and risk assessments
- TTAB proceedings (oppositions, cancellations)
- Resolution of domain, social media, and marketplace disputes
International Trademark Planning
- Madrid Protocol filings and direct applications abroad
- Global clearance support
- Trademark strategy for international subsidiaries or licensing
- Coordination with foreign counsel
When Should You Hire a Trademark Lawyer?
Many businesses wait too long to take brand protection seriously — often after they’ve already received a cease-and-desist or realized a competitor registered a similar mark.
You should speak with a trademark lawyer if:
- You’re investing in branding, packaging, or advertising
- You’re expanding your product line or entering new markets
- You’re preparing for a funding round or sale
- You’ve received a notice of trademark infringement
- You want to license or franchise your brand
A small investment now can save you thousands in legal costs and reputational damage later.
Why Choose Next Era Legal?
We’re not your typical trademark law firm. We partner with founders and in-house teams to act as strategic legal counsel — helping you grow smart and scale securely.
Benefits of Working with Us
- Fractional GC services tailored to your trademark needs
- Deep experience supporting scaling businesses and multi-entity brands
- Legal strategies designed for venture-backed and bootstrapped teams alike
- Offices in major growth markets: Chicago, San Diego, Detroit, and Los Angeles
- Flat-fee or retainer pricing that fits your growth stage
Who We Work With
We support a range of business types and industries — all with one thing in common: they’re building brands worth protecting.
Our Clients Include:
- Startups launching their first product or service
- Consumer brands preparing for national retail expansion
- SaaS companies with growing product portfolios
- Franchises scaling across regions
- Companies with multiple entities and complex ownership structures
- In-house legal teams who need trademark support
We act as your legal co-pilot, not just a name on the filing.
What to Expect from a Trademark Strategy Session
When you book a session with a Next Era Legal trademark lawyer, we don’t give you generic advice. We give you a real strategy based on where your business is going.
Here’s How It Works:
- Brand Audit – We review your current marks, pending applications, logos, product lines, and company structure.
- Growth Mapping – We ask about your upcoming launches, markets, partnerships, and long-term goals to align IP planning with scale.
- Risk Identification – We flag vulnerabilities — including gaps in protection, ownership issues, or exposure to brand conflict.
- Custom Action Plan – You walk away with clear next steps for trademark filings, enforcement, portfolio management, or licensing.
Trademark Strategy for Long-Term Growth
Trademarks are more than a legal asset. They’re the foundation of how your customers recognize you, how your partners trust you, and how your investors value you. A strong trademark strategy sets you apart and gives you leverage.
At Next Era Legal, we help you protect what you’ve built and position your brand for what’s next.
Ready to Protect and Leverage Your Brand?
If you’re building a business in Chicago, San Diego, Detroit, Los Angeles, or operating across state lines, we’re here to help you take your trademark protection seriously — and strategically.
Schedule a Free Strategy Session
Let’s map your trademark plan to your growth goals.
Download Our Free Legal Guide
Get an inside look at what every founder needs to know before filing a trademark.
Thinking about doing it yourself or using a filing service?
Call Next Era first. A short conversation now can save you months of costly cleanup later.