Often small business start-ups spend a considerable amount of time on their business market plan, financial budget, and human resources. Yet, intellectual property such as trademarks are often addressed afterward when it may be too late. Choosing a distinctive trademark for your product or service maximizes its positive consumer perception. It helps to avoid the likelihood of confusion, or even worse, trademark infringement. A distinctive trademark (rather than a more generic one) could potentially distinguish your business from those “me too” copycat competitors. To avoid the likelihood of confusion or even infringement, you should conduct a trademark search at the US Patent & Trademark Office site: https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/search/search-information.
Attend onsite or online to learn about the following topics:
- Trademark Basics
- Distinctiveness and Likelihood of Confusion
- Comprehensive Clearance Searching
- Common Search Steps to Get Started
Event Information
Same 90-minute sessions, two date options:
- Tuesday, April 16, 9:00am - 10:30am
- Tuesday, April 23, 4:00pm - 5:30pm
Instructor: John Schlipp, Patent & Trademark Resource Center of Georgia Southern University Libraries
Attend live onsite at BIG Statesboro or via Zoom online
Register HERE for the April 16 workshop
Register HERE for the April 23 workshop
Meet your Instructor!
Georgia Southern University invites you to join us for these workshops from the Patent and Trade Resource Center (PTRC). These complimentary workshops will be delivered under the leadership of Professor John Schlipp, an Intellectual Property Librarian at Georgia Southern University Libraries. He represents the Patent & Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) for the US Patent & Trademark Office at Georgia Southern. John also teaches a new Information Studies credit-bearing course INFO 2350 Workforce Ready: Introduction to Metaliteracy Skills. He has published a textbook entitled Intellectual Property and Information Rights for Librarians (2019, ABC Clio/Bloomsbury). He is an editorial board member for the Journal of the Patent & Trademark Resource Center Association.
Both workshops are intended to benefit inventors, entrepreneurs, educators, students and legal professionals. The Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) at Georgia Southern can assist you to conduct your own free patent and trademark searches on specialized USPTO databases. Additionally, you can receive one-on-one instruction on the application process, improve awareness of a product field, determine application feasibility and prepare for consulting with an attorney.
“With the recent economic development of Hyundai’s Mega Site, associated suppliers and regional commerce, our PTRC cultivates a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship" stated Schlipp.
"Innovators and creative colleagues utilizing the PTRC service at Georgia Southern University Libraries will be able to determine the potential for their patent applications and federal registration for a trademark on their inventions, products or services.”
