When a brand reaches a point of expansion—whether it’s launching a franchise, signing a licensing deal, or exploring acquisition—executives and legal teams often focus on growth strategy.
But there’s one critical question potential partners, buyers, and investors will ask:
“Are your trademarks in order?”
Think of Your Trademarks Like Property Titles
If your brand is real estate, your trademarks are the deeds. Imagine trying to lease, sell, or develop a property… only to find out you don’t have clear ownership of the land.
That’s exactly how deals can fall apart when trademark portfolios are incomplete, messy, or worse—nonexistent.
We’ve Seen It Happen:
🔹 A six-figure licensing deal was paused because the client’s most recognizable tagline was never federally registered.
🔹 A franchise model stalled because their sub-brands weren’t secured, exposing future franchisees to legal risk.
🔹 An acquisition partner walked away after finding the trademark was in dispute—or the application had been rejected for being too descriptive.
Here’s What Executives and Legal Teams Need to Do:
✅ Audit Your Current Trademark Portfolio Before you go public with a deal, ensure all key brand elements—names, logos, slogans, and product lines—are secured and properly assigned.
✅ Ensure You Own What You Think You Own Sometimes trademarks are filed under the founder’s name instead of the company. That may sound small, but it can derail licensing or M&A due diligence.
✅ Respond to Office Actions Promptly and Strategically If you’ve received a USPTO refusal or inquiry, resolve it before negotiations start. Loose ends are red flags for investors.
✅ File Early and Broadly The more valuable your brand, the more it becomes a target. File for variations, new classes, and sub-brands proactively to prevent gaps in brand security.
IP Is Currency.
In licensing, franchising, and acquisition, your intellectual property is part of your valuation. And if your trademarks aren’t solid, you could be leaving real money on the table—or worse, jeopardizing the deal entirely.
Whether you’re preparing for your first licensing offer or planning to scale your brand nationwide, make sure your trademarks are working for you—not against you.
At R.J. Pierce Law Group, P.C., we’ve helped thousands of brands clean up and scale up—with the paperwork to back it up.
🔗 Let’s talk. Book a discovery call to start securing your brand assets before the big moves begin.
