Avoid the Legal Horrors with Julie King: Patent, Trademark, and Business Strategy

Your Social Media Handle Is Not Your Trademark Registration

If you've been building your brand under a social media handle, this episode is for you. Most entrepreneurs assume that claiming a username locks in their brand. It doesn't. Your handle is a license from the platform—and every platform's terms of service explicitly reserves the right to transfer that username to someone with a valid trademark registration. The blue checkmark verifies your identity. It does not protect your brand name. In this episode, Julie King covers: how trademark rights actually work and why they differ from LLC registration, domain registration, and platform handles; what happens when a trademark holder files a platform complaint; the role of industry overlap in these disputes; and the three-question audit that tells you right now whether your brand is protected or exposed. Free checklist: "Should I Stay or Should I File?" at kingpatentlaw.com [https://kingpatentlaw.com/product/should-i-stay-or-should-i-file-trademark-audit-checklist/] TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Sidney's @Deadthreads Trademark Horror Story (03:09) What a Trademark Registration Actually Is (06:14) The Horrors Lurking in the Social Media Terms of Service (08:30) The @N Story: A Cautionary Tale from the Digital Archive (10:22) How the Platform IP Complain Process Works (13:03) Where the Real Risk Live, and What "Different Industries" Actually Does for You (15:50) Practical Application: The Three-Part Handle Audit (21:01) When to DIY and When to Hire a Trademark Lawyer (23:15) What About Online Trademark Services? (24:31) A Trademark Lawyer, Not Just Any Lawyer (25:35) Key Takeaways (27:29) FAQ: I've been using my name longer than the trademark holder. Doesn't that mean I have rights? (28:09) FAQ: What if they're in a completely different industry? Don't the classes protect me? (29:22) FAQ: I have a trademark registration. Am I done? (29:52) FAQ: What's the difference between a trademark and a copyright? Does my copyright protect my brand name? (30:39) Wrap-Up Free checklist: "Should I Stay or Should I File?" at kingpatentlaw.com [https://kingpatentlaw.com/product/should-i-stay-or-should-i-file-trademark-audit-checklist/] Avoid the legal horrors, and keep rocking your IP. Full transcript and more resources at ⁠⁠kingpatentlaw.com/blog⁠ [kingpatentlaw.com/blog] Ready to protect your brand and business? Book a consultation at kingpatentlaw.com⁠ [https://kingpatentlaw.com/appointments/consultation/]. We serve intellectual property clients nationwide and business and estate planning clients in Illinois. Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not form an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, consult with a licensed attorney Contains attorney advertisement material. Julie King | King Patent Law, PLLC | 301 N Neil St Ste 400, Champaign IL 61820. Phone and email available at kingpatentlaw.com

What Happens to Your Online Business When You Die or Can't Work?

What happens to your Instagram account, your domain name, your email list, your Shopify store, your YouTube channel, and your podcast when you die—or when you're too sick or injured to run them? A few weeks ago I covered what happens to your trademarks and patents. Today is the part nobody in the legal world is talking about enough: the digital infrastructure of your business. Why short-term disability is actually harder to plan for than death. Why your power of attorney probably isn't solving the problem you think it is. And seven specific things you can do right now. I walk through every major category: social media accounts, creator monetization platforms, domain names, email lists, online stores, and podcasts—what the platforms actually allow (and don't), and the legal framework that governs all of it. Timestamps: (00:00) The hospital scenario: not dead, just incapacitated for three weeks (02:44) Why the legal system hasn't caught up (RUFADAA explained) (06:03) The four problems: terms of service, access, continuity, authority (11:22) SOCIAL MEDIA: (11:31) YouTube, (12:48) Instagram/Facebook, (13:59) TikTok, LinkedIn, BlueSky, X, and Mastodon. (15:19) CREATOR MONETIZATION: (16:03) Patreon, Substack, (17:31) Buy Me a Coffee and Ko-fi, (18:12) OnlyFans, (19:37) Medium, (20:10) Twitch, (22:22) Discord, (24:05) WhatsApp and Telegram, Reddit, Snapchat, and Pinterest. (25:59) DOMAIN NAMES AND WEBSITES: the expiration problem (28:09) EMAIL LISTS: actually your most transferable asset (29:22) ONLINE STORES: Shopify, Etsy, Amazon seller accounts (32:17) PODCAST and revenue accounts (24:30) Why disability is actually harder than death (26:00) Seven things to do right now (31:00) What's coming: the deeper resource (32:00) Download the Digital Graveyard Prevention Kit Want that Digital Graveyard Prevention Kit I mentioned? Click here. [https://kingpatentlaw.com/product/digital-graveyard-prevention-kit-what-happens-to-your-online-business-assets-when-you-die-or-are-incapacitated/] Avoid the legal horrors, and keep rocking your IP.💀🎸 🎙️ PODCAST: Avoid the Legal Horrors with Julie King: Patent, Trademark, and Business Strategy. Helping entrepreneurs, creators, and small business owners understand and use IP law as a business tool, without the jargon. 📅 Ready to protect your brand and business? Book a consultation at kingpatentlaw.com⁠ [https://kingpatentlaw.com/appointments/consultation/]. I serve intellectual property clients nationwide and business and estate planning clients in Illinois. 📚 Full transcript and more resources at ⁠⁠kingpatentlaw.com/blog⁠ [kingpatentlaw.com/blog] 📱@kingpatentlaw on social media platforms (NOT X) Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not form an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, consult with a licensed attorney. Contains attorney advertisement material. Julie King | King Patent Law, PLLC | 301 N Neil St Ste 400, Champaign IL 61820. Phone and email available at kingpatentlaw.com

Operating Agreements: The LLC Document That Saves Businesses and Friendships

Your LLC has default rules. They were not written for your business. In this episode, I break down everything you need to know about operating agreements: the internal document that governs how your LLC runs, protects your partnerships, and determines what happens when things go sideways. Whether you're a solo LLC owner (yes, you need this too) or you have business partners, this episode covers what an operating agreement is, what it must include, 8 of the most costly mistakes I see, and the questions I'm asked most often on this topic. 📋 Download the free operating agreement checklist at kingpatentlaw.com: A 5-Question Check on Your LLC Operating Agreement: Potent Potion or Poisonous Brew? [https://kingpatentlaw.com/product/llc-operating-agreement-checklist/]Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction: The Case for Operating Agreements (02:24) What Is an LLC Operating Agreement? (05:05) Why Single-Member LLCs Need One Too (07:34) What Your Operating Agreement Must Cover (16:20) Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them (25:00) Practical Takeaways (26:22) Frequently Asked Questions (31:41) Wrap-Up Avoid the legal horrors, and keep rocking your IP.💀🎸 🎙️ PODCAST: Avoid the Legal Horrors with Julie King: Patent, Trademark, and Business Strategy. Helping entrepreneurs, creators, and small business owners understand and use IP law as a business tool, without the jargon. 📅 Ready to protect your brand and business? Book a consultation at kingpatentlaw.com [https://kingpatentlaw.com/appointments/consultation/]. I serve intellectual property clients nationwide and business and estate planning clients in Illinois. 📚 Full transcript and more resources at kingpatentlaw.com/blog [https://kingpatentlaw.com/blog] 📱@kingpatentlaw on social media platforms (NOT X) Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not form an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, consult with a licensed attorney. Contains attorney advertisement material. Julie King | King Patent Law, PLLC | 301 N Neil St Ste 400, Champaign IL 61820. Phone and email available at kingpatentlaw.com

Your Trademark Doesn't Know You're Dead. Will it Die with You? Intellectual Property Succession Planning

What happens to your trademarks, patents, and copyrights when you die, and why your heirs probably have no idea what they're actually inheriting? In Part 1 of a two-part series on IP legacy, patent and business attorney Julie King breaks down the IP succession crisis: what makes intellectual property different from every other asset in your estate, the three ownership scenarios that determine what happens to your IP when you're gone, and six concrete steps to protect everything you've built. Plus: the assignment document requirement most estate attorneys don't know about, and the Prince estate as a half-billion-dollar cautionary tale. Part 2 (later this season) covers the digital estate: what happens to your social media accounts, domain names, and online presence when you're gone. Next week: operating agreements — the document that can save your business and your closest relationships. Covered in this episode: - Why trademarks are "living assets" that can be cancelled and claimed by competitors if maintenance lapses - The patent maintenance fee clock that doesn't stop for probate - What happens to your copyrights and who controls your creative legacy - Why trade secrets are the fastest to die in a succession crisis - The three ownership scenarios: personally owned, business-owned, or licensed to your LLC - The USPTO assignment document step that can leave heirs unable to enforce inherited IP rights - Six action items to protect your IP legacy starting today TIMESTAMPS (approximate — adjust after recording): 00:00 — The haunted house: what your heirs actually inherit 01:42 — About this series + next week's topic 02:59 — IP is property, but not like other property 04:42 — Trademarks: the hungry asset 07:06 — Patents: the ticking clock 09:23 — Copyrights: the long tail 10:56 — Trade secrets: the fastest killer 12:23 — Who actually owns your IP right now? 13:05 — Scenario 1: you own it personally (and the assignment document most estate attorneys miss) 15:43 — Scenario 2: your business owns it 18:09 — Scenario 3: you own it personally and license it to your LLC 20:19 — Real-world example: Prince and a half-billion-dollar estate with no plan 21:42 — You don't have to be Prince to need a plan - a realistic hypothetical 23:56 — Six action items to protect your IP legacy 🎙️ ABOUT THIS PODCAST: Spellbinding IP: Patent, Trademark, and Business Strategy. Helping entrepreneurs, creators, and small business owners understand and use IP law as a business tool, without the jargon. 📅 Ready to protect your brand and business? Book a consultation: https://kingpatentlaw.com/appointments/consultation/ [https://kingpatentlaw.com/appointments/consultation/]. I help creators and small business owners with IP matters nationwide and with contracts in Illinois and Georgia. 📰 Sign up for the Spellbinding IP newsletter at kingpatentlaw.com [https://kingpatentlaw.com/] @kingpatentlaw on social media (NOT X) Avoid the legal horrors and keep rocking your IP. 💀🎸 DISCLAIMER: This information is for educational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not form an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, consult with a licensed attorney. This video contains attorney advertising material. Julie King | King Patent Law, PLLC | 301 N Neil St Ste 400, Champaign IL 61820. Phone number and email address available at kingpatentlaw.com.

Brand Deals From Hell: The AI Clause Even Taylor Swift Is Fighting And What You Can Do About It

Taylor Swift just filed to trademark her voice. Here's why that matters for every creator, and the 8 brand deal contract clauses you need to read before you sign anything. In this episode, I walk through the eight contract clauses in brand deals that quietly strip creators of their rights, including the AI replica clause that Taylor Swift's legal team is working to address through trademark law. What each clause means, why it matters, and what you can do contractually right now. Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction: Taylor Swift just applied to register her voice as a trademark (02:52) Why this matters for every creator, and what you can do about it (03:44) Clause 1: "All rights," "in perpetuity," "worldwide license" (05:20) Clause 2: Work-for-hire, and what the Supreme Court said (08:51) Clause 3: Assignment vs. licensing (10:21) Clause 4: Your name, voice, and likeness (11:01) Clause 5: The AI replica clause (14:40) Clause 6: Exclusivity and non-compete language (16:07) Clause 7: FTC disclosure—who gets sued when it goes wrong (17:49) Clause 8: Indemnification (10:23) Practical takeaway and the free checklist 📎 Free download: Brand Deal Red Flags Checklist at kingpatentlaw.com [https://kingpatentlaw.com/product/brand-deal-red-flags-checklist/] Avoid the legal horrors and keep rocking your IP.🎸🕷 📄 Full transcript and more resources at ⁠⁠kingpatentlaw.com/blog⁠ [https://kingpatentlaw.com/blog] 📱@kingpatentlaw on social media platforms (NOT X) 🗓 Ready to protect your brand and business? Book a consultation at kingpatentlaw.com⁠ [https://kingpatentlaw.com/appointments/consultation/]. I serve intellectual property clients nationwide and business and estate planning clients in Illinois. Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not form an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, consult with a licensed attorney. Contains attorney advertisement material. Julie King | King Patent Law, PLLC | 301 N Neil St Ste 400, Champaign IL 61820. Phone and email available at kingpatentlaw.com