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[Tom Howard]

Before I go out and spend money blindly, can someone tell me the going rates for TM registration by a U.S. lawyer specializing in trademarks?

[JSonnabend]

I can tell you two things in this regard:

1. I charge from $125 for simply preparing and filing an application to $495 for a U.S. clearance search and application prep on marks with logos and/or tag lines.  I charge $185/hour to respond to substantive office actions.

2.  Most law firm based attorneys (where many tm attorneys are located) charge significantly more.  

I hope that didn't sound like a plug, just a statement of how things are.

- Jeff

[Tom Howard]

What's a U.S. clearance search and application prep on marks with logos and/or tag lines?  What are substantive office actions?

[JSonnabend]

In a nutshell, there are two searches you can do prior to adopting a TM and/or seeking registration of TM.  

The first is to determine whether or not the PTO will approve your application for registration.   This is a "federal registerability" search and it seeks to replicate the search the examiner will undertake.  If this search is positive, you have a greater chance of having your application approved.

The second search is a "U.S. Clearance", which starts with the federal registerability search and adds a search of (federally) unregisterd marks which might affect your right to use your mark.  It is important to remember that federal registration of a mark -- which many people erronously call "trademarking" -- does not give you the right to use your mark.  Thus, the U.S. Clearance search gauges your ability to use the mark, as well as register it.

There's a more complete exlplanation here: http://sonnabendlaw.com/tmsearchservices.pdf

- Jeff