Clearinghouse Offers Trademark Advice to Those in Need

What is the Pro Bono Trademark Clearinghouse?

INTA began rolling out the Pro Bono Trademark Clearinghouse pilot program in July 2017, following several years of work by members of INTA's Pro Bono Committee.

The Clearinghouse matches an individual, small business, or nonprofit in the U.S. in need of free trademark advice with a qualified trademark attorney. The only criteria are that the potential client has a genuine financial need and has an actual trademark issue.

The test project has gone very well so far, and we hope soon to open it up to anyone involved in INTA who's interested in doing pro bono trademark work. We also aim to extend the program beyond the United States, probably starting with Latin America.

What kind of clients are using the Clearinghouse?

We have had more than 400 applicants so far. Most of them are individuals who are starting a small business and looking to protect their name, or to get on the Amazon Marketplace, which recently started requiring sellers to have a registered trademark. We also have some people apply once they have had a refusal from the Trademark Office and need advice on how to deal with that.