The Polasek Law Firm (TPLF) is an intellectual property litigation law firm dedicated to providing exceptional legal service to companies and individuals. Its attorneys have 30 years of litigation experience, with over 25 years of experience in patent, trade secret, trademark, copyright, and other commercial litigation. The focus of the firm’s practice is on patent and trademark litigation. The firm is also experienced in trademark applications, technology licensing, providing opinions, and general IP counsel.
When you find yourself embroiled in a dispute involving Intellectual Property, you need patent lawyers and trademark lawyers that have experience in handling those types of disputes. Please contact TPLF. The initial consultation is at no charge.
TPLF strives to provide exceptional service to every client, on every matter. TPLF is experienced in engineering that allows the firm to effectively represent clients in numerous technology areas. TPLF has extensive experience in litigating cases in courts all over the United States for clients from all over the world. At TPLF, clients receive one-on-one attention from the firm.
The Polasek Law Firm recognizes that clients expect quality legal representation at a reasonable price. The firm provides its clients with affordable representation at hourly rates significantly lower than those charged by big firms, and for certain matters provides result-oriented fee arrangements, such as a contingent fee option.
TPLF has years of experience in enforcing patents through patent litigation and licensing for clients seeking hourly or contingent fee representation and defending companies accused of violating the intellectual property rights of others.
Ted has litigated patent infringement, trademark infringement, trade secret, copyright infringement, and other commercial disputes over the past 30 years. Ted has litigated many patent infringement cases on behalf of patent owners and companies accused of infringement. He has also successfully negotiated patent licenses covering patent portfolios of more than 100 patents.
Ted understands that clients seek counsel that works efficiently and provide high-quality representation.
Polasek Law Firm has decades of experience handling cases in intellectual property and patent litigation.
Polasek Law Firm is located in Bellaire, Texas which is part of the Houston metroplex area, and concentrate in the area of intellectual property law, with an emphasis on litigation and licensing, specifically dealing with patent infringement, trademark infringement, copyright infringement, and trade secret lawsuits on a reasonable hourly basis, contingency fee or result based fee.
TPLF is experienced in mediation, rendering infringement and validity opinions, licensing and technology transfer, and client counseling.
How to File a Trademark Application [Step-by-Step]
Oct 22, 2026 | By Ted Polasek | Read Time: 4minutes
Your name, logo, or slogan are important parts of your business’s identity. To protect that identity—and your business’s reputation—it is important to file a trademark application form to start the process of registering your trademark. Doing so is relatively easy and can save you many legal headaches in the long run. If you are looking to register a trademark, fill out the application below to get the process started. You may also send us a message or call (832) 485-3580 today for a free consultation. Get Help Filing a Trademark Registration for Free Whether you file an application seeking registration of a trademark on your own or with an attorney’s help, here is what you need to know. Step 1: Trademark Clearance Search Also called a “knockout search,” we encourage you to take this step. One purpose of conducting a search is to determine whether your trademark is eligible for registration in the first place. The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) will not approve a trademark application for a mark that is confusingly similar to another mark. The second purpose of a search is to determine whether the use of your mark may violate the rights of someone else that is using a confusingly similar mark. Conducting a clearance search can be difficult; knowing what to search to make sure you uncover any conflicting trademark registrations takes practice and experience. As a result, many business owners opt to hire a trademark lawyer to have the search conducted for them. Trademark vs. Copyright – What is the Difference? Guide to Copyright Registration Step 2: Complete the Trademark Application Form The USPTO offers registrations online through its Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS). There are two different filing options you can choose from TEAS Plus or TEAS Standard. TEAS Plus applications cost less ($250 per class compared to $350 with TEAS Standard) but come with more requirements. Despite the higher cost, many people prefer TEAS Standard because it offers more flexibility overall. Regardless of which application you choose, every trademark application requires the same basic information. This is the same information an attorney preparing a trademark application for a client would ask for: At the end of the trademark application form, you will need to complete and sign a declaration that the information you’ve provided is true and not misleading. Understanding Trademark Classes Trademark law categorizes each trademark according to the goods or services it covers. There are currently 45 distinct classes, with each covering a particular set of goods or services. For example, Class 16 covers “paper goods and printed matter” while Class 45 covers legal and other professional services. Intent to Use vs. Use-Based Applications Trademark protection is unique in that you can get it only if you are actually using your trademark. A majority of trademark applications are use-based, meaning they cover a mark that is currently in use in commerce. By contrast, an “intent to use” application covers a trademark that you plan to use in commerce in the future. A key part of the intent to use applications is the honest intent to use the mark in the future. In most cases, you won’t be allowed to file an intent to use application simply to “reserve” your trademark for future use. Step 3: Submit the Completed Trademark Application Once you’ve completed the trademark application form, signed the declaration, and paid the fee, your application is ready to submit. After doing so, you will receive a serial number allowing you to check on the status of your application. Typically, the USPTO will assign your application to an examining attorney for review within approximately three months of the submission date. Because the USPTO receives a large volume of applications, however, it may take as long as six months. Can I File a Trademark Application for Free? No, federal (and even state-level) trademark applications always come with a fee. As explained above, the exact fee may vary depending on which application type you choose. If your budget simply cannot make room for the application fee, you may be able to take advantage of common law trademark rights. Simply using your trademark in commerce builds these rights. Keep in mind, however, that your protection is much more limited without a federal registration. For example, common law trademark protection extends only to the immediate geographic area in which you use your trademark, while a federal trademark is designed to cover the entire United States. Step 4: Monitor Your Application Over the next several months, it’s important to monitor your application and respond to any communications you get from the USPTO. If the examining attorney discovers any issues with your application, you will receive an office action explaining the issue and the reason for the application denial. Step 5: Maintaining Your Mark After It Is Registered If the USPTO approves your application, it will publish your mark for 30 days and thereafter you will obtain a Registration on Principal Register, giving you full federal trademark protection. Going forward, you will have to file additional documents to renew your registration. If you originally filed an intent to use application, your mark will not mature into a Registration right away. Instead, you’ll have to submit a “Statement of Use” with evidence that you’ve started using the mark in commerce before the USPTO registers your trademark in Principal Register. Need Help Filing a Trademark Application? Registering a trademark is not as simple as it may first appear. Even after you’ve successfully registered it, failing to follow the proper procedures may result in losing your trademark rights. The Polasek Law Firm (TPLF) has years of experience assisting clients with their trademark and other intellectual property matters. If you’re ready to take the next step in protecting your brand, contact the firm online or by phone at (832) 485-3580 to schedule a free consultation today.
Aug 24, 2026 | By Ted Polasek | Read Time: 4minutes
What is Copyright Registration? Understanding the copyright application process is an important step in learning how to register a copyright and protect your original work. From the moment you create an original work, you have an exclusive intellectual property right to make copies of your work. This is known as copyright. This right exists regardless of whether you publish your work or register it with the federal government. However, there are many benefits to registering your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office, such as: If you have created a new work, consider consulting an experienced copyright lawyer to help you understand what is the process of copyright registration. They can help you prepare your copyright registration, advise you about copyright infringement, and help you with contracts to publish or license your work. Steps in the Copyright Registration Process If you decide to register your copyright, you will need to pay a fee depending on is you are re-registering one piece of work. The typical copyright registration cost for standard registration is $65 and if you are submitting for a piece of work that has been registered before and you are the only author, the fee is $45. You will also need to submit an application to the U.S. Copyright Office. This process involves several steps: Prepare Your Registration Materials Your copyright registration consists of three things: Generally, you should plan to include one copy of your work if it is unpublished and two copies if it is published. Determine How You Want to Register Your Copyright You can register a copyright either by mail or online. The easiest and quickest way to register your copyright is by submitting your registration online with the U.S. Copyright Office. Online copyright registration also has cheaper filing fees than paper registration. In many cases, you will need to mail the copies of your work separately, even if you complete registration online. However, the following works may be submitted electronically: If you prefer to register your copyright by mail, you need to choose the appropriate form for the type of work you are copyrighting. The Copyright Office has different forms for visual arts, performing arts, literary works, sound recordings, and single serials. You can download the forms online or request to have them sent to you by mail. You can mail your form to: Library of Congress U.S. Copyright Office-SR101 Independence Avenue SEWashington, DC 20559-6000 If you complete your registration by mail, you need to include your fee and copies of your work in the same package as your registration form. Follow Up on Your Registration If you register online, you will receive an electronic confirmation. If you register by mail, you should consider using certified mail to confirm receipt. The U.S. Copyright Office will not send you a confirmation. It generally takes about three to nine months for the Copyright Office to process your registration. The length of time depends on whether you submit your registration and copies electronically or by mail and whether further communication is needed before the copyright can be granted. If you file online, you can check the status of your claim online. If you file a paper application, you can contact the Copyright Office to check your claim?s status after about six weeks. If the Copyright Office has questions or needs more information from you, it will reach out by mail, email, or phone. If the Copyright Office cannot grant your copyright, it will send you a letter explaining why it rejected your registration. If all goes well and your copyright is registered, the Copyright Office will send you a certificate of registration by mail. How Long Does Copyright Last? The length of time a copyright lasts depends on when it was registered and whether the author is an individual or an institution. For any copyrights registered after January 1, 1978, the following rules apply: Individual Authors If the author of a work is an individual, their copyright will last for the length of their life plus 70 years. If the work has more than one author, then the copyright will last for the length of the last surviving authors? life plus 70 years. Institutional Authors Different rules apply if the author is an institution, such as a corporation or nonprofit organization, or someone they hired to complete work on their behalf. In this circumstance, the copyright lasts either 95 years from the date of publication or 120 years from the date of creation, whichever comes first. This rule also applies to anonymous authors. Talk With a Houston Copyright Lawyer About Protecting Your Work If you have questions about copyright registration or if you have questions regarding trademarks or patents, our experienced intellectual property attorneys are here to help. Whether you need assistance filing your registration or need representation in a copyright infringement dispute, contact us today and see what Polasek Law Firm can do for you. Trusted by Creators, Innovators, and Businesses Nationwide Serving Houston, TX and Clients Nationwide
I frequently receive calls from potential clients seeking to protect their brand or a writing, but unsure whether they need to file a trademark application or obtain a copyright registration. What is the difference between trademark and copyright law? In fact, they are distinct from one another in several different ways. In a nutshell, a trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design that is associated with your goods or services, while a copyright is a form of protection for an original work of authorship. If you have any questions or need help registering your trademark or copyright, please call (832) 485-3580 or send us an online message. Key Points Trademark vs. Copyright Trademarks protect brands; copyrights protect original works of authorship. Trademark scope: names, logos, slogans, trade dress that identify the source of goods/services. Copyright scope: text, images, music, video, software code, and other creative expression fixed in a tangible medium. How rights arise: Copyright attaches on fixation; trademark rights arise from use in commerce (or intent-to-use), and federal registration strengthens protection. Standards & duration: Trademarks hinge on likelihood of confusion and can last indefinitely with use/renewals; copyrights require originality and typically last life + 70 years. Practical tips: Run a trademark search, use marks properly (™/®), register both rights, and monitor for infringement. Request a Free Consultation What Is a Trademark? A trademark is a word, name, symbol or device used to identify your goods and services. In most cases this representation is visual—think of McDonald’s Golden Arches, for example, or the KFC slogan “It’s finger lickin’ good.” A trademark, however, can also be a sound or even a scent. You may acquire “common law trademark” protection through your use of a trademark in commerce. However, common law rights are limited, typically only to the specific geographic location of its use in commerce. You can obtain more expansive rights by obtaining a state registration, or better yet, a federal registration. A federal registration provides you with the strongest protection. What is a Copyright? A copyright protects creative works such as novels, paintings, photographs, websites, and even computer software source code. A “copyright” attaches to a work the moment it is affixed in a tangible medium. You must register your copyright with the US Copyright Office to enforce your rights in a federal court. Trademark vs. Copyright: A Summary of the Major Differences Following are some of the primary legal differences between copyrights and trademarks: Although you can register both a trademark and a copyright at the federal level, the registration process is different for each one. Potential Pitfalls The process of generating, registering, and protecting trademarks and copyrights can be complex. The following are some of the most common pitfalls: When it comes to protecting your business’s intellectual property rights, it is critical that you get it right the first time around. Safeguard Your Intellectual Property Rights – Trademarks & Copyrights (100% Free Consultation) For a free consultation, contact an experienced intellectual property attorney at The Polasek Law Firm by calling (832) 485-3580 or by contacting us online.
