Why Businesses Need A Comprehensive Federal Trademark Clearance Search
The News: The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) affirmed a refusal of Serena Williams' application for "SERENA VENTURES" because someone else in Florida had already registered "SERENA" for overlapping financial services.
The Takeaway: The comprehensive federal trademark clearance search is vital to trademark registration.
It’s possible a comprehensive search could have missed the existing registration, but it’s very unlikely. And a refusal based on “likelihood of confusion” apparently cannot be overcome with fame and money alone.
For the best chance to avoid similar problems in your trademark application, you can book your federal trademark consultation with Equinomia Legal here.