Legal Services

Intellectual Property (IP) Law

Black Dog Law primarily offers legal services surrounding intellectual property.

Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.

IP protections need to be strategized for the creator or business. Not all IP protections are needed or apply to a given scenario. Depending on the stage of your business or creations, what your short and long term business plans and goals may be, so many considerations factor into each strategy. No two are the exact same and will likely change over time.

Common Intellectual property protections include patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.

Our services specifically include: Patent Application Filings aka Patent Prosecution, Trademark Applications, Trademark Office Action Replies, Infringement Opinions, Infringement Negotiations, Contract Drafting and License Agreements, Copyrights, Speaking Engagements and Workshops, Outside Counsel, Overall IP Strategy.

Patent Prosecution

Protecting What You’ve Invented

Securing a patent is one of the most powerful ways to protect a novel invention - giving you the exclusive right to benefit from your innovation and prevent others from using it without your permission.

Our patent services include the full process of drafting, filing, and prosecuting patent applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). We work closely with inventors and entrepreneurs to understand both the invention and the broader vision behind it, crafting thoughtful, strategic applications that maximize protection.

What Is a Patent?

Under U.S. law, a patent is an exclusive right granted to an inventor for a process, machine, manufactured article, or composition of matter that is new, useful, and non-obvious.

A granted patent allows the patent holder to exclude others from making, using, importing, or selling the invention for a set period of time:

Utility Patents (covering functional inventions): Up to 20 years from the first filing date
Design Patents (covering ornamental designs): Up to 15 years from the date of issuance

Our Approach

We take a hands-on, collaborative approach to every application:

We work closely with inventors to fully understand the invention’s function, features, and future potential
We draft claims and technical descriptions with precision and foresight
We guide clients through USPTO office actions, amendments, and examiner communications with clarity and strategy

Our goal is not just to file a patent - but to position it for success and long-term value.

💼 Pricing for Patent Applications

Initial Cost Range: $2,000 – $10,000+
(Varies based on the complexity of the invention, the type of patent, and required technical disclosures)
Patent prosecution costs are typically quoted at the outset and re-evaluated as the application process continues

We offer flexible patent strategies for startups, entrepreneurs, and established businesses - from provisional filings to full nonprovisional applications, design patents, and beyond.

Trademark Applications

Protecting the Name Behind Your Brand

A trademark - sometimes referred to as a service mark - is a word, phrase, symbol, or design (or a combination of these) that identifies and distinguishes the source of a product or service. It’s how customers recognize and remember your brand.

Registering a trademark gives you the exclusive right to use that mark in connection with the goods or services you provide. It can also help protect against counterfeiting, fraud, and brand confusion in the marketplace.

How Trademark Protection Works

Trademarks are registered in connection with specific classes of goods or services.
A single mark may be filed in multiple classes if it applies to different types of offerings.
Registration can occur at the state, federal (U.S.), or international level, depending on your business goals.

We help you determine what kind of trademark protection is appropriate based on your brand, industry, and future plans.

Before We File

Before filing, we conduct a complementary clearance search across relevant trademark databases to identify any potentially conflicting or confusing marks that are already registered or pending. This helps reduce the risk of rejection and strengthens your position from the outset.

💼 Pricing for U.S. Trademark Applications

Attorney Fee: Starting at $1,500+
USPTO Filing Fee: Typically $350 per class of goods/services

Need international protection or have a more complex brand portfolio? We’ll walk you through the strategy and costs up front, with clear steps and smart options.

Infringement Opinions

An infringement opinion is an analysis to see if a specific product or process infringes a patent.

A patent infringement opinion is a type of legal opinion offered by patent lawyers who apply the law to your product or process. If your product or process falls within the parameters of another patent's claims then you could potentially be liable for infringement.

It is not a fun experience receiving a cease and desist notice or a demand letter. If you find yourself in this position or wonder if you might be infringing upon a patent, a call to a patent attorney could ease your mind.

Price Range: $600+

Contract Drafting & License Agreements

An Agreement, between you or your business and another party, that describes the relationship between two parties and the work to be done can be incredibly important.

A lack of understanding of what is expected and promised by either or both sides can create misunderstanding, bad feelings, and be detrimental to moving forward with your business or idea.

Contracts and agreements, although tedious and costly to think of, are there to protect your business.

Partnership agreements, memorandums of understanding, employment agreements, contractor agreements, non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, and so many more can apply to your business and protect you moving forward.

Licensing agreements are contracts where one party (the licensor) grants another party (the licensee) the right to use or do something with the property of the licensor. These can be incredibly important and valuable for intellectual property owners.

Price Range: $450 and up depending on type of document

Copyrights

What Is Copyright?

Copyright is a form of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship - from the moment they’re created and fixed in a tangible form. That means as soon as you write it, record it, draw it, or save it, your creative work is protected under copyright law.

Types of Works Protected by Copyright

Paintings, illustrations, and photographs
Musical compositions and sound recordings
Books, poems, scripts, and blog posts
Movies, short films, and video content
Plays and choreography
Software and computer programs
Architectural designs
Educational content, including curriculums and presentations

What Does Copyright Protection Do?

Copyright gives the creator the exclusive right to use, reproduce, distribute, display, or perform the work - and to authorize (or prevent) others from doing the same.

Put simply: it helps you stop others from copying your work without permission or a proper license.

Do I Need to Register My Copyright?

While copyright protection exists automatically in the U.S. the moment a work is created and fixed, registration with the U.S. Copyright Office is a critical step if you want to fully protect and enforce your rights.

Registration is not required to own a copyright - but it is required if you need to file a lawsuit for infringement or seek statutory damages and attorney’s fees. It also creates a public record of your ownership, which can deter misuse and strengthen your position in legal disputes.

💼 Pricing for Copyright Registration

Filing Fee: Starting at $45 per work (standard U.S. Copyright Office fee)
Attorney Fee: Typically starts around $455, depending on the complexity and type of work

Outside IP Counsel

Outside counsel means that you have hired a law firm to represent you and your company. You will usually pay a retainer fee and fees for work conducted by the firm on your particular matter or issue that you need handled. Depending on the size of the matter at hand, I will give a general quote of fees to begin and then we reevaluate as the matter unfolds.

A plus to having outside counsel: you now have an attorney(s) working for you. If you are at a point where you need an attorney to work on certain specialized matters such as negotiations, IP filings, portfolio strategy etc, then it makes sense to have outside counsel. Especially if you have a matter that is outside your regular attorney's scope of expertise.

Price Range: Varies on the matter. Initial $1500 retainer to begin.

Infringement Negotiations

Protecting What’s Yours - and Responding When You're Accused

Infringement issues can arise on either side - whether someone is using your intellectual property without permission, or you’ve been accused of using someone else’s. At our firm, we help clients understand where they stand, what rights are involved, and how to take the next step confidently and strategically.

We handle infringement matters across all core areas of intellectual property: copyright, trademark, and patent.

⚖️ Copyright Infringement

Copyright infringement involves the unauthorized use of protected creative works - including written content, images, videos, music, software, and more. These cases often stem from misunderstandings or assumptions about what’s “free” to use online.

⚠️ Important Note: Copying and pasting images, graphics, or written content from the internet onto your business website or marketing materials - even from Google search results - can expose you to legal risk. Even if it’s unintentional, using copyrighted content without a license can lead to costly enforcement actions.

We help clients:

Enforce their rights through cease and desist letters or formal claims
Defend against copyright infringement allegations or settlement demands
Respond strategically to licensing issues or unauthorized use
Avoid future risk by adopting best practices for content use

Whether you're protecting your work or responding to a claim, we provide clear, grounded guidance to help you move forward.

™️ Trademark Infringement

Trademark infringement happens when a name, logo, or other brand identifier is used in a way that creates confusion with an existing brand. This may involve a similar-sounding business name, an overlapping logo, or even marketing language that blurs brand identity.

We help clients:

Send or respond to cease and desist letters
Assess likelihood of confusion and evaluate risk
Pursue or defend enforcement actions through negotiation or administrative proceedings
Build or defend brand identity without escalating unnecessarily

Brand protection is as much about strategy as enforcement - and we’re here to help you protect what sets your business apart.

🔬 Patent Infringement

Patent infringement involves the unauthorized use, sale, or manufacturing of a product or process that’s covered by an active patent. These disputes can be complex and highly technical - often involving product design, software functionality, or proprietary methods.

We help clients:

Understand the scope of a patent claim (either as patent holder or accused infringer)
Develop strategies for resolution, licensing, or defense
Coordinate with patent litigation counsel when litigation is on the table
Maintain business continuity while resolving disputes

🛡️ Our Approach

Infringement matters are rarely black-and-white. Whether you need to defend what’s yours or respond to a demand letter, we help you take thoughtful, strategic action that protects your brand and your business. We aim to resolve issues efficiently and with as little disruption as possible - but we’re ready to escalate when needed.

Let's Work Together

If you have an idea or legal question for your business, get in contact with Black Dog Law today! When it comes to quality legal services, we are the first you should call. We look forward to hearing from you.

Black Dog Law PLLC

Affiliation: United States Patent and Trademark Office

12 N Cheyenne Ave, Tulsa OK 74103
Phone: 918-231-2546