What is an Office Action?

An Office Action is a type of rejection letter issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) with respect to your trademark application. Office Actions may be issued, among other reasons, due to likelihood of confusion between your mark and a registered trademark, geographic descriptiveness, the generic or…

What is an Operating Agreement?

An Operating Agreement is a contract between the members of an LLC which serves as the LLC’s governing document. The Operating Agreement outlines voting and ownership percentages, delegates authority to specific managers or members, and determines how distributions of profits and losses, and transfers of interest may occur, among other…

Business formation

Before you start your new brewery, you should consider the different types of business structures under which your brewery could operate. There are several different forms of businesses such as Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), and Corporations. Before you start your brewery you should determine which structure is best for your…

We know that COVID has really taken its toll on a lot of small businesses in North Carolina, especially the craft beverage industry. Unfortunately, COVID and the government restrictions have closed a lot of our local bars. While it saddens us to see our favorite 80’s bar or the little dive place around the corner…

Choosing a trademark can be one of the most exciting parts about building your business. Your trademark should represent your brand and identify your company as the source of your brand’s goods or services. It is important to choose a strong trademark which will offer greater protectability and less risk to potential infringements and challenges.…

It’s October 27th which means it is National American Beer Day. National American Beer Day is a special day in North Carolina, because October is also North Carolina Beer Month. North Carolina, with over 300 breweries, has a booming beer industry. Grab a cold one and celebrate with these facts about the beer industry in…

Halloween is almost upon us, and as it approaches, trademark owners must be alert of something especially frightening. Recently, our firm has received another scam letter for trademark renewal fees. The letter, which says it was sent from the “Patent & Trademark Bureau,” is requesting for us to pay a $925 renewal fee for our…