You picked a name, bought the domain, maybe even printed business cards — but did you actually protect your brand? In this episode, host Bill Rountree speaks with trademark attorney Richard Rimer who breaks down everything founders and business owners need to know about trademarks, from what makes a strong name to the federal registration process and how to handle copycats.

Richard advises clients across industries including food and beverage, technology, and professional services on trademark protection and brand strategy. He walks us through the common mistakes startups make (hint: Googling your business name is not a trademark search), when to start thinking about protection, what federal registration actually gets you, and what to do if someone shows up with a name that looks a lot like yours.

Whether you're launching your first company or rebranding an existing one, this is 20 minutes that could save you years of legal headaches.

Topics covered:

• What a trademark actually is and what makes one stronger than another
• When startups should start thinking about trademark protection
• The biggest mistakes founders make
• What a proper trademark search looks like
• Federal registration — what it gives you and what the process involves
• Office Actions and what to do about them
• Launching before your registration is approved
• Protecting your brand in the early years and dealing with infringers

Contact Richard: https://www.offitkurman.com/richard-rimer

In this introductory episode of The Corporate Briefing Room Podcast, host Bill Rountree shares the story behind the podcast and the career that led him here. From growing up as the son of an attorney to building a career in IT project management — leading multimillion-dollar compliance and legal technology projects for companies like Sprint PCS, Harley-Davidson, and Coca-Cola — Bill explains how his unique perspective at the intersection of technology and corporate law shapes this show. Along the way, he shares stories from the trenches, including a matter management implementation that took an unexpected turn and a year-and-a-half segregation of duties project that tested everyone's patience. This episode sets the stage for what's to come: candid conversations about corporate law trends, compliance challenges, and regulatory issues with guests from both sides of the fence.