United States and European UnionIntellectual PropertyLegal services
Trademark · Patent · Copyright · Full Lifecycle Protection of Cross-Border Intellectual Property
Intellectual property legal services in the United States and the European Union.
The United States and the European Union are the most important strongholds for intellectual property protection globally, and are core markets that enterprises must prioritize when expanding overseas. Zhiming Law Firm, in collaboration with overseas partner attorneys and intellectual property agencies, provides enterprises with full-process legal services covering trademarks, patents, and copyrights—from application and registration, routine maintenance, to infringement enforcement.
Whether it's trademark registration and brand protection for entering the U.S. market, EU patent applications and strategic positioning, or handling complaints and TRO settlements for cross-border e-commerce on platforms like Amazon, we provide professional, efficient, and actionable solutions. We help businesses build a solid intellectual property moat in the U.S. and EU markets, turning innovation into true market competitiveness.
Intellectual Property Full Lifecycle Service Matrix
Leveraging a professional service network across the two major jurisdictions of the United States and the European Union, our services cover all types of trademarks, patents, and copyrights, spanning the entire lifecycle from rights acquisition and maintenance to protection.
- Trademark registration application, oath, and authorization.
- Trademark opposition, assignment, renewal, and change of agent.
- Patent registration applications, Office Action responses, and annual fee payments.
- Copyright registration, transfer, and opposition defense
- Amazon agency complaints, TRO settlement
- Intellectual property consulting, strategic planning, risk management, and litigation.
US trademark legal services
The U.S. trademark system is use-based, with rigorous procedures and high evidentiary requirements. Professional representation is key to successful registration and the stability of rights.
US trademark registration application
US trademarks are examined and registered by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), which operates under the "first-to-use" principle. We offer comprehensive US trademark registration services: pre-filing trademark searches and registrability assessments (to avoid conflicts with prior rights), selection of filing basis (actual use/intent-to-use), planning of goods and services (Nice Classification), and preparation and submission of application documents.
- Trademark Search and Risk Assessment
- Application Basis and Classification Planning
- TEAS electronic application submission
- Full follow-up throughout the review process.
US Trademark Affidavit and Statement of Use
After registering a U.S. trademark, periodic declarations of use must be filed, or the rights may be revoked. We handle the filing of the Declaration of Use (Section 8) and the Claim of Incontestability (Section 15) for years 5-6 after registration, as well as the Renewal Declaration (Section 9) for years 9-10, and assist in preparing specimens that meet USPTO requirements to ensure the trademark rights remain valid and are solidly upgraded to incontestable status.
U.S. Trademark Assignment, Renewal, and Change of Agent
Handle U.S. trademark ownership change recordals (Assignments), drafting and negotiation of trademark assignment agreements, and procedures for renewal and change of representative; assist with trademark license recordals to ensure clear ownership and compliant transfer of brand assets in commercial scenarios such as mergers and acquisitions and collaborations.
U.S. Trademark Opposition and Invalidity Response
The U.S. trademark publication is followed by a 30-day opposition period, during which any interested party may file an opposition. We handle opposition responses (responding to oppositions filed by others) and cancellation responses (responding to petitions to cancel a registered trademark), submitting evidence and presenting arguments in proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) to fully protect our clients' trademark rights.
EU Trademark Legal Services
An EU Trademark (EUTM) provides coverage across all 27 member states with a single registration, making it the preferred route for brand protection in the European market.
EU trademark registration application
EU trademarks are uniformly examined and registered by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), and a single application and payment provide protection across the entire EU. We offer full-service EU trademark registration, including pre-filing search and assessment, planning of goods and services, application submission, and response to examination opinions, with the option to design a combined protection strategy of "EU trademark + individual country" as needed.
EU Trademark Opposition and Invalidation Defense
The EU trademark publication is followed by a 3-month opposition period. We represent clients in EU trademark opposition responses, invalidity declaration responses, and revocation responses, handling complex arguments involving conflicts with prior rights. Leveraging the procedural rules and case law of the European Union Intellectual Property Office, we strive to secure favorable outcomes for our clients.
EU Trademark Assignment, Renewal, and Change of Agent
Handle EU trademark transfer registration, license recordal, renewal upon expiration (every 10 years), and change of representative procedures, covering all maintenance matters throughout the lifecycle of EU trademarks to ensure brand rights remain continuously valid in the EU market.
Trademark Complaint and Settlement
Handle trademark infringement complaints and settlement negotiations within the EU, assist rights holders in sending cease-and-desist letters to infringers, filing complaints with platforms to remove infringing products, or responding and settling when complaints are filed against them, balancing enforcement effectiveness with the maintenance of business relationships.
US patent legal services
The U.S. patent system is uniquely distinctive, with complex examination procedures and strict time limit requirements, making professional representation the core safeguard for patent grant and validity.
US Patent Applications and Strategic Patent Portfolio Development
Represent clients in U.S. invention patent (Utility), design patent (Design), and plant patent applications, including strategic selection between Provisional and Non-Provisional applications, priority claims, layout of continuation and divisional applications, and handling of PCT international applications entering the U.S. national phase, to build peripheral patent barriers covering core technologies for enterprises.
US Patent Office Action Response
During the examination process of U.S. patent applications, examiners issue Office Actions. We handle responses to both Non-Final Office Actions and Final Office Actions, including claim amendments, arguments in response, interviews with examiners, and the selection and use of subsequent procedures such as Requests for Continued Examination (RCE), to maximize the chances of patent allowance.
Payment of US Patent Annual Fees and Maintenance
U.S. patents require maintenance fees to be paid at 3.5, 7.5, and 11.5 years after grant. We provide annuity monitoring and payment services to prevent patent termination due to missed payments; we also handle patent revival procedures, corrections, disclaimers, and other maintenance matters to ensure the integrity of the patent rights chain.
US patent search, buying and selling, and cancellation
Providing US patent patentability searches, freedom-to-operate (FTO) analyses, patent validity searches, and infringement risk assessments; handling patent transfers (sales/purchases), licensing negotiations and recordals, as well as voluntary abandonment (cancellation) procedures, to help companies revitalize patent assets and control operational risks.
Patent Infringement Determination Consultation Opinion
For suspected infringing products or technical solutions, provide a professional patent infringement assessment consultation opinion: conduct claim element comparison, equivalent infringement analysis, and prior art defense evaluation, offering authoritative written opinions on whether the company should enter the market, whether to respond to litigation, and how to design around the patent.
APEX Program Specialized Services
Provide specialized services for special procedures related to U.S. patents (APEX), covering procedural initiation assessment, document preparation and submission, progress tracking, and response to office actions, ensuring compliance with the procedural requirements of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and offering professional support for complex patent matters.
EU patent legal services
The European patent system is accelerating its integration, making it crucial to choose the right path for filing and enforcement.
European patent applications and strategic patent portfolio development.
Handle European Patent (EPO) applications, covering filing, examination, and grant procedures under the European Patent Convention (EPC), as well as the processing of PCT international applications entering the European phase; provide strategic comparisons and recommendations between the European Unitary Patent and the traditional European patent (validation system), assisting enterprises in securing patent protection in the European market at optimal cost.
European Patent Office Action Response and Opposition Defense
Representing clients in responding to European Patent Office (EPO) Examination Reports and amending claims; handling opposition responses within the 9-month post-grant opposition period, as well as appeal proceedings before the Board of Appeal, to fully safeguard patent validity in EPO procedures.
European Patent Annual Fee Payment Agency and Maintenance
European patents require separate annual fees to be paid in each designated country after grant, with cumbersome procedures and varying deadlines. We provide unified monitoring and payment services for European patent annuities, covering maintenance matters such as renewal fee payments in each country, change of representative (appointment of new agent), and registration of change of ownership.
Patent search and infringement determination.
Provide European patent patentability searches, freedom-to-operate (FTO) analyses, and infringement risk assessments; issue patent infringement determination advisory opinions, incorporating the Unified Patent Court (UPC) jurisdictional rules, to support corporate decision-making for product launches and patent enforcement in the European market.
Copyright legal services
Copyright is the cornerstone of the creative industry. The United States and the European Union each have distinct characteristics in their protection mechanisms, requiring targeted strategies.
U.S. copyright registration
Copyright in the United States is administered and registered by the U.S. Copyright Office (USCO). Although copyright protection automatically attaches upon the creation of a work, registration is a prerequisite for filing an infringement lawsuit in the U.S., and timely registration enables the recovery of statutory damages and attorney's fees. We handle U.S. copyright registration applications, responses to office actions, and issuance of registration certificates, laying the legal foundation for litigation enforcement and licensing transactions.
EU Copyright Protection
EU member states provide automatic protection to works under the Berne Convention, without the need for registration. We assist enterprises in organizing the chain of evidence for copyright ownership, establishing management systems for creation and publication records, handling matters related to collective management organizations (CMOs), and providing monitoring and rights enforcement solutions against piracy and infringement in the digital environment.
Copyright Transfer and Opposition Response
Draft and review copyright transfer and licensing contracts, handle ownership arrangements for works made for hire and commissioned works; represent clients in copyright opposition responses and rights confirmation procedures, resolve ownership disputes, and safeguard the legal value of creative achievements while ensuring smooth commercialization pathways.
Copyright Complaints and Settlements
Represent clients in copyright infringement complaints, cease-and-desist letters, and settlement negotiations within the United States and the European Union; handle platform takedown appeals and counter-notices, taking the initiative in infringement disputes while controlling costs.
Special Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in Cross-Border E-Commerce
Cross-border e-commerce is a high-risk area for intellectual property disputes, characterized by strong time sensitivity and special procedures, requiring professional teams to respond quickly.
Amazon agency complaint
Representative rights holders file trademark, patent, and copyright infringement complaints on the Amazon platform, assist with Brand Registry and Report a Violation, and quickly remove infringing listings; they also represent sellers who have been complained against in appeals and defenses, providing compliance assessments and solutions for restoring listings.
TRO settlement
A TRO (Temporary Restraining Order) is an emergency relief measure that rights holders apply for from U.S. courts, which can freeze seller account funds and remove product listings, with a tight timeline (typically only 14-21 days). We handle the full process of TRO cases: case assessment and response strategy, settlement negotiations with plaintiff attorneys, applying to the court for fund unfreezing, and restoring stores and listings to minimize seller losses to the greatest extent possible.
Complaint Resolution and Reply Correspondence
Post-complaint settlement negotiations and agreement signing on agency platforms, drafting and responding to platform appeal letters and cease-and-desist letters from attorneys, handling compliant replies to various platform notices, and helping sellers preserve their operational capacity during disputes.
Declaration and Supplement Process Service
Assist in handling the submission of various declaration documents in cross-border e-commerce intellectual property procedures, procedural corrections (process amendments), and deadline management, ensuring that platform and official procedural milestones are neither missed nor overdue.
Comprehensive intellectual property services and infringement litigation
From strategic planning to dispute resolution, providing comprehensive and integrated intellectual property legal services for businesses.
Intellectual property legal consulting, strategic layout, planning, risk control, and litigation.
Provide enterprises with intellectual property strategic consulting for the U.S. and European markets: global trademark registration and portfolio planning, patent portfolio management and layout design, intellectual property risk screening (FTO/Freedom to Operate analysis), review of intellectual property clauses in contracts, and representation in intellectual property litigation. Help enterprises prepare their strategy before going global, manage risks during operations, and gain the upper hand in disputes.
Litigation and Defense of Intellectual Property Infringement in the United States and the European Union
Represent clients in intellectual property infringement litigation before U.S. federal courts and courts of EU member states: filing infringement actions as plaintiffs (including applications for preliminary injunctions, discovery, and calculation of damages); defending as defendants (including non-infringement defenses, patent invalidity defenses, and prior art defenses). Collaborate with overseas co-counsel to develop optimal litigation strategies tailored to local judicial practices, effectively safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises.
Why choose Zhiming?
Domestic and international lawyers work collaboratively, with expertise in U.S. and European IP legal practices and examination procedures; covering the full spectrum and lifecycle of trademarks, patents, and copyrights; from application and registration, routine maintenance, and platform complaints to infringement litigation, providing one-stop cross-border IP solutions that enable businesses to go global with confidence and operate with stability.
