Mousilli Legal Group launches trademark resource for tech founders

Mousilli Legal Group has published a trademark attorney resource for technology companies and startups, aimed at helping founders clear, file and protect marks before a product launch. The move comes as USPTO trademark filings remain high and examination times have shortened, changing the timing but not the risk of rejection.

Why it matters: - Tech founders can still lose a brand name even when a domain or social handle appears available. - Faster USPTO review shortens the wait, but it does not reduce the legal risk of conflicts with earlier filings or marketplace use. - Early clearance can help startups avoid rebranding costs tied to packaging, ads and launch plans.

What happened: - Mousilli Legal Group published a trademark attorney resource for technology companies and startups at More information. - The resource is designed to help founders search, file and protect federal marks before launch. - The firm says the resource is aimed at U.S. tech and startup founders, including teams in Austin. - Founders can book a free 15-minute consultation at mousillilegal.com.

The details: - The Trademark Public Advisory Committee's FY 2024 annual report counted 767,138 new trademark application classes in fiscal 2024, up 4.1% from 737,018 in FY 2023. - A Dec. 2, 2025 USPTO alert reported more than 824,000 new classes in FY 2025, up 7.4% from FY 2024. - First-action pendency fell from 8.5 months at the end of FY 2023 to 5.6 months in FY 2025. - As of Aug. 10, 2026, the USPTO reported an average of 4.2 months from filing to first examining action. - The resource describes trademark work that includes clearance of federal filings and marketplace use, federal applications, responses to office actions and enforcement when another brand conflicts with a client's mark. - Vicky Smolyar, Senior Trademark & Copyright Counsel, leads the practice and has advised entrepreneurs and emerging companies since 2015. - Smolyar is admitted in Texas, New York and New Jersey. - Rachael Dickson, Of Counsel, Trademarks, served as a USPTO examining attorney from 2017 through 2021 and is admitted in the District of Columbia. - Feras Mousilli, Founder & Managing Attorney, is admitted in Texas and registered to practice before the USPTO. - Mousilli previously served as corporate counsel at Apple in 2014 and Dell in 2006. - Mousilli Legal Group is a Houston-based boutique law firm focused on intellectual property, technology and corporate counsel for innovators, startups and established enterprises.

Between the lines: - The timing of a filing matters more now because the USPTO is moving faster, which can surface conflicts sooner. - The firm is positioning trademark work as a launch-stage decision, not a back-office legal cleanup. - The resource also reinforces a common trademark point: domain ownership and social media availability do not create federal trademark rights.

What's next: - Founders who are preparing a product launch can use the resource to compare clearance, filing and enforcement steps in one place. - Brands with uncertain names may need a clearance review before spending on public rollout. - Matters that require state court handling will be routed to attorneys admitted in the relevant state.

The bottom line: - For startups, trademark protection is moving faster at the USPTO, but the need for early clearance before launch has not changed.