Proactive Value
Helping protect a brand, align registrations with the business today, and discourage others from adopting confusingly similar names.
Attorney-Led Brand Protection Review
Trademark Checkup
A focused trademark review for winery owners, beverage companies, entrepreneurs, established businesses, and other brand owners who want to understand how their current trademark protection aligns with the business they operate today.
Performed by an experienced trademark attorney who understands both trademark law and the practical realities of building and owning brands.
Request a Trademark CheckupWhy Consider a Checkup?
A successful history does not always reveal today’s gaps.
A business may have used a brand successfully for years without encountering a trademark dispute. That does not necessarily mean its trademark portfolio fully reflects the business as it exists today.
New products, new brand names, changes in ownership, outdated registrations, missed renewals, or unregistered trademarks can create gaps that may not become apparent until a conflict arises. A measured trademark portfolio review can help an established business understand where its protection stands without assuming that a problem exists.
Defensive Value
Strengthening a business’s position if another company later challenges its right to use a name, logo, product brand, or other trademark.
What We Review
A focused review shaped around your business.
Depending on the business, its portfolio, and the scope of the engagement, a Trademark Checkup may include review of the following areas.
Registrations & Applications
Existing federal trademark registrations, pending applications, and whether current filings appropriately cover the company’s products and services.
Ownership & Entity Alignment
Trademark ownership and whether registrations appear to be held by the appropriate business entity, including changes that may have occurred over time.
Brands in Current Use
Company and winery names, product names, wine and beverage brands, logos, slogans, vineyard names, and other potentially protectable trademarks.
Business Growth
New products, services, brands, or markets introduced since earlier trademark filings and whether the portfolio has kept pace with that growth.
Maintenance & Proper Use
Upcoming maintenance and renewal requirements, along with the company’s use of the ™ and ® symbols.
Portfolio Opportunities
Potential gaps, opportunities for additional trademark protection, and practical recommended next steps based on the review.
Industry Focus
Trademark Checkups for Wineries & Beverage Brands
Wineries and beverage companies often build multiple valuable brands over time. These may include the winery or company name, individual wine or beverage brands, labels, vineyard names, logos, slogans, tasting-room branding, merchandise, and new product lines.
As those businesses grow, their trademark portfolios do not always grow with them. A Trademark Checkup can help determine whether the trademarks being used today are adequately reflected in the company’s existing trademark protection.
Machat & Associates understands that winery trademarks, wine brand trademarks, and beverage trademarks are not merely legal registrations. They can represent substantial investments in reputation, distribution, marketing, customer recognition, and goodwill.
Explore Beverage, Wine & Spirits Law →Why Machat & Associates?
Trademark experience from both the legal and business sides of the brand.
A practical perspective beyond the registration.
Michael Machat is not only a trademark attorney. He is also involved in the wine and spirits business and has personally built, marketed, and protected valuable beverage brands and trademarks.
That firsthand business experience provides a practical perspective on brand protection—one that considers not only the legal registration, but also the investment, reputation, distribution, marketing, and goodwill behind the brand.
In addition to representing clients in trademark matters, Michael Machat has firsthand experience developing and protecting his own brands, including defending those brands in trademark matters involving companies such as Treasury Wine Estates, Taco Bell, Applebee’s, and The Hershey Company.
This combination of trademark-law experience and firsthand experience as a beverage-brand owner allows Machat & Associates to evaluate trademark issues from both the legal and practical business perspectives.
Explore Trademark Law & Litigation →Initial Assessment
Request a Trademark Checkup
Tell us about the brand or trademark portfolio you would like reviewed. This short inquiry helps Machat & Associates understand the business and the initial scope of your request.
Thank you.
Your Trademark Checkup request has been received. Machat & Associates will review your inquiry and contact you regarding next steps.
Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not submit confidential or sensitive information. An attorney-client relationship is established only after Machat & Associates, P.A. confirms that it can represent you and a written engagement agreement has been executed.