Sean Goodwin

I am a licensed patent attorney with the USPTO. If you have an idea for an invention and want to start a company based on that idea, I can help get your idea off the ground.

I help entrepreneurs start a business, register their intellectual property (i.e., patents, trademarks, copyrights), draft/negotiate any commercial contract agreements (e.g., employment, lease, distributor, services, licenses, assignments, website terms/privacy, etc.). I also have experience with marketing/advertising review for products and services (e.g., website review for legal liability). Specifically, I help healthcare companies with FDA and FTC regulatory review of foods, beverages, dietary supplements, cosmetics, drugs, and medical devices. If you need help with the language on your product labels/packaging, I can help.

If you are an established business, I can be your outside general counsel.

Please learn more about me at www.seangoodwinlegal.com.

• Free Consultation
  30 Minute Confidential Phone/Video Call
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  Flexible payment plans available. Hourly Rate Prorated (6 minute increments / 0.1 hours). Venmo, QuickPay, Zelle Accepted.

Illinois

Supreme Court of Illinois

Since 2008

Of Counsel

Lexern Law Group

2022 - Current

Counsel business owners, licensed professionals, and their families concerning a broad range of business and estate planning matters, including business organizations, business sales and acquisitions, business succession planning, and estate planning.

Managing Attorney

Goodwin Legal Services

2010 - Current

Entrepreneurial Legal Services · Business formation (LLC, Corporation, Partnership) and Operating Agreements. · Counseling, procurement, and maintenance of Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights. · Protect and enforce intellectual property using Cease & Desist Letters, ICANN Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy, and App Store dispute resolution procedures. · Drafting/Negotiation of Contractual Agreements (e.g., licenses, assignments, leases, employment, independent contractor, privacy policies, non-disclosure, confidentiality, terms of use, podcast release, testimonials, copyright work-for-hire, etc.). · FDA/FTC Regulatory Compliance of foods, beverages, dietary supplements, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics. · Liability review of marketing/advertising of goods services.

Washington University School of Law

LL.M. (2012) | Intellectual Property and Technology Law

2011 - 2012

Activities: Student Council of LL.M. Class

University of Illinois Chicago School of Law

J.D. (2008) | Certificate in Intellectual Property Law

2005 - 2008

Honors: Dean's List

Activities: Brehon Law Society

Loyola University Chicago

B.S. (2000) | Chemistry, Emphasizing Biochemistry

1995 - 1999

Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (IPLAC)

Member

2024 - 2025

Trademark Law Basics and Recent Supreme Court Updates, Union League Club of Chicago

April 10, 2024

ULC Chicago Lawyer's Group

Presentation on Trademark Law basics for non-legal guests, focusing on alcohol-related trademarks, trends in the industry, and the impact of the recent Supreme Court Case "Jack Daniel's Properties v. VIP Products" in which trademark parody law was clarified. In essence, trademarks are a source designator and trademark parodies of famous marks may not be used for commercial purposes.

Patent Attorney

United States Patent and Trademark Office

2010

Q. How to protect intellectual property and find medical industry investors for my device?

April 23, 2025

A: If your medical device is new, useful, and not obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, then it may be patentable. The patent application and examination process can take approximately 3 years. I highly recommend working with a licensed patent attorney with a background in this area of technology.

During the patent examination period, you need to rely upon contract law to protect your invention. If you meet with any potential investors, then you need them to sign a non-disclosure agreement that has severe liability for breach. Again, I highly recommend a patent attorney or intellectual property attorney who knows how to properly draft these types of contracts.

To reduce your personal liability, I also recommend setting up a company to own the patent application and deal with the potential investors. An entrepreneurial attorney can help you determine what type of business structure is best for your situation, submit the proper forms to the Secretary of State, IRS, etc.

If you want to manufacture and/or distribute the invention, then you should consider applying for a trademark to help market your product. Again, an intellectual property attorney can help with a clearance search to ensure that the name or phrase you want to use does not infringe another's mark. ... Read More

Q. Can I legally use an expired logo for a recall protest without facing legal action?

April 22, 2025

A: There are 3 types of trademark protection: federal, state, and common law.

Federal law protects your registered trademark in all 50 states.

State law protects your state-registered mark within the boundaries of that state.

Common law protects the geographic area within which you provide your goods/services. The classic example is a restaurant; its common law protection extends within its delivery area.

Even if a trademark registration has lapsed, it does not mean that its common law protection has as well. If the mark is still in use, then it still has common law protection and can be enforced in a court of law.

Q. How can I self-publish a book previously serialized in a magazine?

April 2, 2025

A: I would double-check with the magazine to see if there is a contract on file even if you remember a verbal/handshake agreement. If there is a written agreement, please reach out to an experienced intellectual property attorney to review it in detail. There is something called a "work-for-hire" contract which transfers all intellectual property rights of the author to the other party, and you need to make sure this is not the case.

Based on the fact pattern, and assuming you received the copyright registration for your book prior to the magazine publication, you possess all of the rights under copyright law. The handshake agreement will be viewed as a limited license agreement to the magazine allowing publication only for those installments (unless there is an overriding written agreement). Just to be safe, you should also research the magazine copyright registrations to ensure that it disclaimed your stories as not its own.

If there is no written agreement with the magazine, then you should be free to self-publish. ... Read More