Trademark facts and statistics

• In 2013, there were almost 1,000,000 trademark applications in America. This number nearly doubled the number of applications from ten years ago in 2003.
• In 2013, there were a little more than 700,000 trademark registrations in America. Compared to 2003, this more than doubled the number of registrations acquired.
• The amount of time it can take to acquire a trademark ranges from 6 months to a few years depending upon the issues involved in the application.
• A trademark can last indefinitely as long as you consistently use it and file all renewal paperwork (required every 10 years).
• You do not have to be an American citizen in order to acquire a federal trademark.
• You can conduct a trademark search on the website of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) by clicking here: http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks-application-process/search-trademark-database
• Every year, a few thousand cases are filed for trademark infringement (roughly 2,000-3,000).
• The average award for trademark cases is just north of $1,000,000 but the median is only roughly a quarter of that amount.

FURTHER READING AND SOURCES