1. What is a non-substantive trademark office action?
A non-substantive trademark office action is not an outright refusal of registration. Most often, they only request small amendments or other revisions to your mark before registration can move forward. Common causes for non-substantive trademark office actions include improperly identified goods or services, as well as requests for further details on the trademark.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) might also contact you if you need to make any changes to the description of your trademark or if you need to add a disclaimer for part of the trademark. Hiring an experienced trademark attorney can help lower the chances that you’ll face a non-substantive trademark office action because of their deep understanding of the application process. You can learn more about the trademark application process by reading our Insight.
2. What is a substantive trademark office action?
Substantive trademark office actions, unlike non-substantive trademark office actions, come with a refusal to register your trademark, usually because of likelihood of confusion or mere descriptiveness. If your mark is refused on the grounds that it is merely descriptive, it’s probably because the mark is too general and only refers to an obvious quality or function of your goods or services. Likelihood of confusion, on the other hand, means that your mark closely resembles one that has already been registered.
If you still want to try to register your mark after receiving a substantive trademark office action, you’re going to want to enlist the help of a trademark attorney. This is because the response often requires a great deal of research and complex legal arguments, the extent of which depends on the examining attorney in charge of your mark. Of course, you can increase your chances of avoiding a substantive trademark office action by hiring a trademark attorney who can advise you on selecting a strong trademark from the start.
3. How does ordering work?
Once you submit your order, our attorney will review your request and someone from our team will reach out to you. You will not be prompted to share any payment information when submitting an order. No Attorney-Client relationship is formed until you sign our engagement agreement.
4. Do you offer payment plans?
Our flat-fee services are built with entrepreneurs and small business owners in mind. With that said, we do offer payment plans on a case-by-case basis. During your initial consultation, our attorney will work with you should you need financial assistance.
5. Do you offer online payments?
Yes, we make paying online easy through our client portal, Clio. Your invoice will be sent directly to your email where you can seamlessly pay using the link provided. We accept all major credit cards and e-check.
6. Do we need to meet in person?
No, most of our business services can be done over the phone and by email. We offer digital documents, e-signatures, secure digital communication, and online payments.
7. Do you need to pay upfront?
Yes. However, many of our services are done through a refundable retainer.
8. Do you offer refunds?
Only in extreme circumstances. As a client-focused law firm, we put a great amount of energy into the work we do for our clients, and satisfied clients rarely ask for refunds. However, many of our services are done through a refundable retainer. This means that you only pay for the work that we actually do for you.
9. Are you a law firm?
Unlike many businesses and websites selling legal services, FL Patel Law PLLC is a bona fide law firm. This means that the contracts and other important legal documents that we draft for you are tailored for your business — we don’t make our clients settle for cookie-cutter templates. When you work with us, you’re working with a team led by experienced business attorneys with their own entrepreneurial backgrounds. We know what it takes to get a successful business up and running, and how to best support that business over the course of its life cycle.
10. Will I work with an attorney?
Yes — from start to finish, our lawyers will support you every step of the way. We make ourselves available to our clients whenever possible so that you can benefit from our knowledge and experience.
11. Can I download a form online?
That depends on the form. Many documents required by both the state of Florida and the federal government have sample templates available found online for simple filings. Because each business has its own special needs, it’s important that you have your contracts and other valuable legal documents personally customized for your unique business. For that reason, we don’t waste your time with alleged “one-size-fits-all” templates. However, we do make all of the documents that you obtain through our firm available to download through our client portal, Clio.
12. Do you sell forms?
Our firm drafts personally tailored contracts and other legal documents for our clients. We also draft and file both state and federal forms on their behalf. That said, we do not charge our clients for sample templates from government agencies that can easily be found online. We also do not waste our client’s time with discounted, typically insufficient “cookie-cutter” forms that claim to work for businesses of all kinds. These documents, more often than not, just aren’t going to cut it.
13. What is FL Patel Law’s Guarantee?
Our goal is to provide 5-star services to our clients. While this obviously means completing your projects within your desired time frame in a way that exceeds your expectations, our firm prides itself on the relationships that we build with our clients. You won’t spend days or weeks waiting by the phone, hoping to hear back from your attorney — you’ll enjoy regular updates, and we make ourselves available to our clients during the course of their projects so that we can be sure that you have the support and information that you deserve.
14. When do I pay?
We would appreciate it if you would pay as soon as possible. Because of the number of clients we serve and the high-value nature of our work, we are unable to start working on your project without payment at this time.
15. Who are the lawyers?
Our lawyers are all licensed and barred in the state of Florida and practice exclusively in Florida business law, which gives them the expertise and focus they need to provide the critical corporate and legal services that you’re looking for.
16. How do I schedule a phone call?
You can schedule a time to speak with one of our business attorneys through our contact page, here.
17. How do you offer such affordable prices? What’s the catch?
The catch is that there are too many law firms — and non-attorney businesses offering legal services, for that matter — that nickel and dime their clients every chance they get. Our firm is able to offer affordable prices because we understand the value and nature of your work, and how to get the most out of it. Unlike other law firms that are still stuck in the 20th Century, we take advantage of innovations in automation and other breakthrough technologies and pass the savings on to you.
18. How do I know my lawyer is any good?
All of our business attorneys are fully licensed by the state of Florida and are in good standing with the Florida bar association. Each has a strong background in working in corporate, nonprofit, and pro bono settings. Of course, you can always read our glowing reviews here.
19. What kinds of legal issues can I run by my attorney?
Our attorneys practice in every aspect of business law, including business formation, transactional law, contracts, regulatory compliance, trademark registration, and more. We also handle estate planning for both couples and single individuals, and are available for consultation upon appointment. At this time we do not offer criminal or litigation services.
20. How do I know that this is a good fit for my business?
We recommend that all potential clients check out our website and read our reviews before hiring us so that they can be as confident in our abilities as we are. You’ll also have the opportunity to speak with the attorney managing your case before signing any contracts or making any payments. This way, you can get answers to your most pressing questions and get a feel for us before making any commitments.
21. Is it easy to get started?
It’s never been easier. Set yourself up with a consultation, either by phone, in our office, or over Skype, using our website here or by calling our offices at (727) 279-5037. You’ll hear back from us in a day or two, and once we’ve received your payment and all the relevant details, we’ll get the ball rolling for you right away.
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