BOAG LAW, PLLC

10/08/2025

From this week’s New York Times Sunday Magazine Spelling Bee — can you spot the word (or words) tied to intellectual property, especially patents?

(The Sunday Magazine version of the Bee is the sophisticated older sibling to the digital yellow version we all know and love — it’s a tougher challenge, and worthy of your time.)

07/28/2025

Can AI be listed as the inventor on a patent? Not yet. But the conversation is heating up. From Nutella to pharmaceuticals, AI is already shaping innovation. So who gets the credit?

Find out what the law really says—and what inventors need to know today.
📖 Read the full article: [https://link.msgsndr.com/sp/425e18c00f6]

👇 Curious how this affects your ideas? Let’s talk.

An artificial intelligence system cannot be an inventor on a patent.

07/22/2025

Join Us for Our First-Ever IP Ask Us Anything!

Got questions about patents, trademarks, or copyrights? We’re hosting a quick and (dare we say) fun Ask Us Anything— and you’re invited!

🗓 Thursday, July 31, 2025 from 11:00 PM – 11:30 PM EST

📍 Google Meet link provided with registration

🎯 Register here → https://go.boagip.com/ama

We’ll tackle general questions about how intellectual property works, what it can protect, and how it might apply to your business, brand, or creative work. (Please note: we won’t be offering specific legal advice during the session.)

✅ Ask your question when you register — or just tune in and listen.
🎥 Can’t make it live? No worries — we’ll send you the replay either way.

06/16/2025

💡 Think software and AI can’t be patented? Think again.

From code to cutting-edge algorithms, securing IP rights is not only possible—it’s essential.

Here’s what you need to know:

👉

The top entry on our list of hottest subject matter areas for patent coverage will come as no surprise. AI and software are absolutely everywhere right now and while the rules can be complex, many of these innovations do qualify for patent protection—with the right approach.  Start With the Statu...

05/27/2025

Before you start buying domains and hiring a designer, make sure no one else is using that name. Skipping trademark clearance can lead to costly rebrands or even infringement claims.

Doing a bit of DIY searching can get you started:

• Google is a decent start, but it won’t show USPTO filings or quiet-but-conflicting uses.

• USPTO’s TESS search? 👉 https://boagip.com/a-crash-course-in-tess-ii-the-usptos-new-trademark-search-system-godspeed-tess/
Excellent for exact-hit knockout searches, but difficult to search for alternate spellings and sometimes difficult to interpret the results.

• State business directories are helpful for spotting LLCs and corporations with the name—less so for what they actually sell.

• Social media and domains? Important since it's often the first thing a new business grabs, though no dispositive.

Each of these is just one piece of an overall picture. Full trademark clearance involves gathering all the facts and coming to a legal conclusion on how unique your brand really is.

It’s not just a quick search—it’s about protecting what you’re building.

On November 23, the curtain went down on TESS, the USPTO’s trademark search system that had served trademark searchers since roughly 2000.

04/15/2025

The walk in to the office each morning never gets old.

04/15/2025

Intellectual property means control—it's not just a benefit, it's the point.

🔒 Patents give you control over who can make, use, or sell your invention.
™️ Trademarks give you control over how your brand shows up in the world.

With control, you have leverage, options, and authority. Without it, you’re simply hoping others will respect your ideas and identity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMuoowyCkUU

Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis famously helped Janet Jackson assert "Control" in 1986.

We're the Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis of IP protection.

04/10/2025

The USPTO maintains a public dashboard with real-time metrics like average time to first office action, total applications awaiting review, and patents issued. We use it almost daily to keep clients informed about timelines and to strategize on ways to speed things up.

https://www.uspto.gov/dashboard/patents/?utm_campaign=subscriptioncenter&utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=

This is the embodiment of transparency in government and also strangely satisfying to browse. Seriously, dig into it.

But now there's more. As of this month, the USPTO has added new data sets covering total patent application inventory, 10-year filing trends, and examiner hiring. Stats on fraud mitigation efforts and attrition are reportedly coming soon.

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

04/03/2025

Anyone who has known me for 10 minutes knows that I'm from Buffalo.

I adore my home planet and speak of it often and with great pride and affection. It's an untapped gem. The reports of snow are wildly overstated (it's not snowing now, for example). Yes I've lived in NYC for 25 years, but I'll convince my wife eventually.

It's no surprise to me that the Queen City was recently ranked among top 10 cities most supportive of startups:

https://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/inno/stories/news/2025/03/28/buffalo-startup-ecosystem-ranking-marketbeat.html

Check it out.

Buffalo ranked above some major U.S. metro areas.

02/26/2025

Please click the link to complete this form.

02/26/2025

🚀 We’re trying something new. Join us for a popup webinar this Friday:

Building a Defensible Brand—Trademark Basics for Entrepreneurs

Your brand is one of your business’s most valuable assets—are you taking the right steps to protect it?

📅 Wednesday, February 28
⏰ 12:30 – 1:30 PM ET
👥 Limited to 20 participants
📍 Live & Interactive – Bring your questions!

Walk away with practical legal insights on how to strengthen and protect your brand through trademarks, while avoiding common legal pitfalls that can cost time, money, and brand equity.

🔗 Sign up here: https://form.jotform.com/250554764247159

Hope to see you there!

Please click the link to complete this form.

01/21/2025

If you socialize 🥳 with lots of trademark attorneys, you'll be hearing about this this week:

The USPTO has rolled out a new fee structure aimed at raising revenue 💰 and reducing trademark application delays. The changes encourage using pre-approved goods/services descriptions from the ID Manual and penalize incomplete or complex applications. What was TEAS Plus is the new norm.

🔹 Base Filing Fee: $350 per class, with extra charges for complex submissions.
🔹 Free-Form Good and Services Descriptions: $200 per class + $200 if over 1,000 characters.
🔹 Completeness: Missing info? That'll be a $100 fee per class.
🔹 Post-Filing Fees: Statements of Use are now $150, and extension requests are $225 per class. Renewals have also increased.

If you have questions about trademarks or navigating the new fees, feel free to reach out! go.boagip.com/g