San Diego Trademark Lawyers
Experienced San Diego Trademark attorneys handling infringement, licensing disputes, registration, and federal litigation. Schedule a confidential consultation.
San Diego Trademark Attorneys
Our San Diego trademark attorneys help businesses, founders, and creators clear, register, enforce, and defend trademarks at every stage of growth. Whether you need to register a name, logo, or slogan with the USPTO, respond to an Office Action, or stop a competitor from trading on your reputation, we bring litigation-focused judgment and practical business insight to every trademark engagement.
Trademark Strategy, Registration, and Portfolio Management
A trademark filing should not be guesswork. We structure filings to support long-term brand protection and enforcement.
We assist with:
- Comprehensive trademark searches and clearance
- Federal and California trademark registration
- Class selection and identification of goods/services
- Specimen strategy and filing logistics
- Multi-mark and portfolio management
- Renewals, maintenance, and monitoring
Every matter starts with a simple question: What do you want this brand to be able to do? We then align your trademark strategy with that answer.
USPTO Office Actions and Refusals
Many trademark applications stall at the Office Action stage. We regularly assist clients who filed pro se or through online filing services and then received a refusal.
Common Office Action issues include:
- Likelihood of confusion with existing registrations
- Descriptiveness or genericness
- Specimen deficiencies
- Identification of goods/services problems
- Formalities and technical defects
We evaluate the strength of your position, outline realistic options, and prepare responses designed to either overcome refusal or position you for a strategic refile.
Trademark Enforcement, Litigation, and Defense
Trademark rights only matter if you can enforce them. When another party uses a confusingly similar name, logo, or trade dress—or when you are on the receiving end of a cease-and-desist letter—speed and strategy both matter.
Our lawyers handle:
- Cease-and-desist demands and response strategy
- Negotiated resolutions and coexistence agreements
- TTAB oppositions and cancellation proceedings
- Federal trademark infringement litigation in the Southern District of California
- Online marketplace and social media brand enforcement
- Domain and handle disputes, including UDRP proceedings
We focus on leverage, not noise: clear demands, targeted relief, and a litigation posture that your counterparty and their counsel take seriously.
Why Trademark Counsel Matters (Versus DIY Filing)
Online forms make trademark filing look simple. The reality: many unassisted applications run into problems that could have been avoided with front-end planning.
Typical DIY pitfalls:
- Filing for a mark that is weak, descriptive, or already crowded
- Selecting the wrong classes or incomplete descriptions
- Overlooking conflicting marks and unregistered common law rights
- Submitting defective specimens or incomplete evidence
- Building a registration that is difficult to enforce later
We structure filings to maximize approval odds and future enforcement power, not just to get a serial number.
Who We Serve
Our trademark practice supports a cross-section of San Diego’s business and creative community:
- Startups and emerging companies
- Established mid-market businesses
- Software, SaaS, and technology companies
- Consumer products, retail, and e-commerce brands
- Marketing, media, and creative agencies
- Athletic programs, influencers, and personal brands
- Professional service firms and franchises
We adjust our approach to the stage and risk profile of each client—from pre-launch clearance to cross-border brand expansion.
Why Wingert Grebing Instead of a Large IP Firm
San Diego has nationally recognized IP firms—but bigger isn’t always better. High-volume legal teams often come with layered staffing, inflated billing structures, and slow decision cycles that don’t match the urgency of a trademark issue.
Wingert Grebing operates differently.
We are a boutique litigation-forward firm with attorneys who have handled complex trademark disputes, federal court actions, and business-critical enforcement matters without unnecessary overhead or bureaucracy. Clients work directly with experienced counsel, not a rotating cast of junior associates.
What that means for you:
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Predictable cost structure
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Lean, efficient execution
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Faster strategic decision-making
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Attorney access—not gatekeeping
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Litigation readiness from day one
Our approach is practical: protect rights, position leverage, and resolve disputes with the least disruption to your business.
Common Trademark Questions | FAQs
If you are investing in a name, logo, or brand in more than a narrow, local context, federal registration typically provides stronger, nationwide rights, public notice, and better enforcement tools.
The USPTO examination process often runs several months before initial review, followed by publication and potential opposition. We set expectations early and monitor your application through each stage.
We assess both legal risk and practical risk. That includes reviewing existing registrations, unregistered use, industry context, and your business plans before recommending enforcement or rebranding.
Yes. We frequently step in after an Office Action or when a self-filed application has stalled. We review the existing filing, identify issues, and either repair the current application or recommend a more strategic refiling.
Ana Claudia C. Guedes
Partner
tel: (619) 232-8151 ext. 7027
aguedes@wingertlaw.com
Ana Claudia Guedes is a seasoned negotiator and trusted advisor, known for her strong business acumen and cross-cultural competence. With over 20 years of experience spanning both law firm and in-house roles, she brings a strategic, client-focused approach to intellectual property and business law—handling both transactional and litigation matters.
Ms. Guedes began her legal career at an AmLaw 50 firm, where she focused on litigation involving trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and contractual disputes. She later served in two General Counsel positions, expanding her expertise across the full business lifecycle, including early-stage venture capital (ECVC) and mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
In her business and commercial law practice, Ms. Guedes advises both domestic and multinational clients across diverse industries. Her transactional work spans corporate formation, strategic planning, and the negotiation of commercial agreements. Her in-house experience—including leadership of internal legal departments and coordination with outside counsel—makes her an especially effective outside general counsel. Whether working alongside in-house legal teams or directly with C-suite executives, she excels at building long-term relationships and becoming a trusted strategic partner.
Ms. Guedes approaches business disputes with a focus on achieving practical, business-centered solutions. She understands that most companies benefit from avoiding protracted litigation—but when necessary, she is a skilled and confident litigator, ready to advocate forcefully in court.
In her intellectual property practice, Ms. Guedes represents global brands in copyright and trademark strategy, prosecution, licensing, and litigation—including proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and the World Intellectual Property Organization. Her trademark clients include world-class athletes, for whom she also handles name, image, and likeness (NIL) matters, such as endorsement and sponsorship agreements, alongside trademark registration and enforcement.
Ms. Guedes has also represented athletes in disciplinary proceedings before the NFL Commissioner, the World Anti-Doping Agency, the International Olympic Committee, and various state athletic commissions. She brings deep knowledge of the sports industry and sports marketing landscape.
Licenses:
- State Bar of California
- Bar of the District of Columbia 2016
- United States District Court for the Southern District of California
- United States District Court for the Northern District of California
- United States District Court for the Central District of California
Education
- J.D. 2006 University of San Diego School of Law
- B.A. in Journalism 2002 University of Maryland College Park
Mark Amador
Partner
tel: (619) 232-8151 ext. 7024
fax: (619) 232-4665
mamador@wingertlaw.com
Mark Amador is one of California’s top trial attorneys, having conducted over 100 trials in his prestigious career including numerous high-profile cases. He joined Wingert Grebing Brubaker & Walshok following a distinguished career in public service as a prosecutor in the Office of the San Diego District Attorney. Mr. Amador’s accolades include San Diego County Prosecutor of the Year (2012), California Prosecutor of the Year (2015), Distinguished National Prosecutor of the Year (2025), and two-time recipient of the prestigious FBI Director’s Award for Excellence.
Moreover, as an executive in the 6th largest prosecutorial agency in the country, Mr. Amador led the District Attorney’s Appellate and Training Division for five years, including supervision of its renown Ethics program. He is a leading expert and instructor in several components of trial advocacy, including Constitutional law, discovery, ethics, trial skills, and evidence. He regularly presents at seminars around the country on these topics. From 2023 through 2025, Mr. Amador was the Chief of New Legislation Implementation, in which role he led the gargantuan task of re-sentencing thousands of offenders based on new laws enacted in California.
Licenses:
- State Bar of California
- United States District Courts for the Southern and Central Districts of California
Education:
- University of San Diego School of Law
- University of California Los Angeles
Wingert Grebing Brubaker & Walshok LLP
Office: (619) 232-8151
Fax: (619) 232-4665
2 Columbia Place
1230 Columbia Street
Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92101

