The Birmingham Public Library’s Patent and Trademark Resource Center will be hosting a free workshop on Wednesday, October 28, 2015, at 2:00 p.m. Join us in the Central Library’s Arrington Auditorium for “Trademark Basics: What Every Small Business Should Know Now, Not Later.” This program will be led by Craig Morris of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in Washington D.C. Mr. Morris’ program will focus on several topics of interest to small business owners who are considering filing for a trademark with the USPTO: 

—How trademarks, copyrights, patents, domain names, and business name registrations all differ. 

—Why it is important for any new business to select a trademark that will be both federally registrable and legally protectable, highlighting factors critical when choosing a mark. 

—The importance of doing a complete search and whether an attorney should be used.

—What may happen if another trademark owner believes it has stronger rights in a mark and issues a “cease-and-desist” letter. 

—Information on what the USPTO does in the federal registration process and how to avoid “scams” perpetrated by companies that request fees for services not required by the USPTO. 

—What happens after registration.