How to Look UpFinancial Trademarks

In 10 easy steps

Ho

w to

Loo

k U

p F

ina

nci

al T

rad

em

ark

sStep

1

United States Patent & Trademark Officehttp://www.uspto.gov

Step 1: Go to the USPTO website

Ho

w to

Loo

k U

p F

ina

nci

al T

rad

em

ark

sStep

2

Click on the “Trademarks” tab It will reveal subnavigation options Click on option 3, “Search TM database” TESS is the USPTO’s “Trademark Electronic Search System”

Step 2: Search TM database (TESS)

Ho

w to

Loo

k U

p F

ina

nci

al T

rad

em

ark

sStep

3

When you get to the TESS landing page, click on the first option, “New User Form Search (Basic).”

You can experiment with the other search forms later, but the basic search form is easy and works great.

Step 3: Select the New User Search Form

Ho

w to

Loo

k U

p F

ina

nci

al T

rad

em

ark

sStep

4

Type your word into the provided field and hit the “Submit Query” button.

In this example, we’re looking up trademarks for the word “Cornerstone.”

Step 4: Enter your search term

Ho

w to

Loo

k U

p F

ina

nci

al T

rad

em

ark

sStep

5

The USPTO will generate a full list of every trademark with the word “Cornerstone”

This includes companies, products and services in every industry, both active (LIVE) trademarks and DEAD ones.

In this example, there are 447 live and dead trademarks.

Step 5: Review your results

Ho

w to

Loo

k U

p F

ina

nci

al T

rad

em

ark

sStep

6

To limit your search results to just trademarks in the financial industry, you have to modify your search.

In the “Refine Search” field, add this: “and 036[IC].” 036 is the USPTO’s “International Class” (or “IC”) for

financial services.

Step 6: Refine your search

Ho

w to

Loo

k U

p F

ina

nci

al T

rad

em

ark

sStep

7

You had 447 records to sort through – too many!Now you only have 124 – much more manageable.

You can refine your search even further, because your124 records include both LIVE (active) trademarks andDEAD (abandoned) trademarks.

Step 7: Review your refined search

Ho

w to

Loo

k U

p F

ina

nci

al T

rad

em

ark

sStep

8

To only display LIVE (active) trademarks, type the following and the end of your search terms in the “Refine Search” field: “and LIVE[LD]”

Step 8: Refine your search even further

Ho

w to

Loo

k U

p F

ina

nci

al T

rad

em

ark

sStep

9

Now you’re looking at only LIVE trademarks for “Cornerstone”in the financial industry.

You’ve cut your results from 447 in all industries, to 124 in just financial services, to now only 60 live trademarks (that’s still a lot of “Cornerstones”)

Step 9: Review your final results

Ho

w to

Loo

k U

p F

ina

nci

al T

rad

em

ark

sStep

10

You can click on any record to get greater details. This record says this specific “Cornerstone” focuses on

real estate trust services, REITs, etc.

Step 10: Examine specific records

Ho

w to

Loo

k U

p F

ina

nci

al T

rad

em

ark

sExtraStep

While the USPTO’s online search tool is a handy first step, it is no substitution for the guidance and insight of an experienced trademark attorney.

Extra Step: Get a Trademark Attorney