Practice.
The Law Office of Carrie Hedayati (LOCH) is a dedicated intellectual property law practice focused on the intellectual property and business matters important to growing businesses. In the US, we have a ‘first to use’ system whereby it’s possible to obtain common law trademark rights simply through use. This is different from many other countries in the world where the entity or person who is ‘first to file’, with or without use, is generally afford trademark rights. However, there are many benefits to obtaining registration of your trademark. A federal, state or foreign trademark registration will aid you in protecting your brand name or image where you do business. Protection of your brand or mark is essential to preserve your reputation with customers and prevent competitors from cashing in on the recognition you've worked hard to create.
Ownership and enforcement of the rights related to your trademark will give you the opportunity to decide if, and when, others may use your brand or creation, and under what terms. Proper monitoring and portfolio management will enable you to protect your investment and keep an eye on what others are doing that may be impactful to your brand.
Looking for some additional general information on intellectual property? Check out our FAQs
Information, not legal advice.
We utilize several government and non-governmental intellectual property offices and organizations both to execute work on behalf of clients and also to stay current on developments and emerging issues. Several of them have resources that can be helpful to clients to expand their understanding of legal processes and rights.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
The U.S. Copyright Office
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
The International Trademark Association (INTA)
The California Secretary of State’s Office
Information contained in trademark and other federal or state filings becomes part of the public record. Unfortunately, this means that information can be used by scammers who may attempt to impersonate governmental organizations or employees. You can read more about some of these scams and how to protect yourself below. If you are our client, we’re always happy to review an ‘official’ looking document or request if you have questions. If you’re not yet our client, that might be a good reason to become one.
USPTO Recordal, Renewal or Filing Scams
Spoofed calls that impersonate the USPTO
Use extreme caution if buying registered trademarks from online auctions
California Statement of Information & Certificate of Status Scams







































