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. “Could you clarify what U.S. Patent No. 10,745,83

December 19, 2024

A: The "Claims" section defines exactly what the patent covers. The two main ("independent") claims are:

1. A fabric, comprising:

a plurality of first material yarns; and

a plurality of second material yarns, in which the plurality of first material yarns and the plurality of second material yarns are woven or knitted together to form a ground;

wherein the plurality of first material yarns comprise yarns having a linear mass density between 50 Denier (D) and 300D and a filament count (F) of 36F-576F and the plurality of second material yarns comprise cotton yarns having a thickness (s) of 6s-40s.

12. A method for manufacturing a fabric, comprising:

weaving or knitting first material yarns and second material yarns to form a ground; and

exposing the first material yarns and the second material yarns to a first coloring process, in which the second material yarns accept a color from the first coloring process while the first material yarns resist the color of the first coloring process.

Every other claim is a "dependent claim" that adds an element to one of the independent claims, effectively narrowing what is being covered.

To infringe any patent your composition or method of manufacture must effectively mimic/duplicate every element of a numbered claim. For example, Claim 1 has two elements, and each element is defined starting with "wherein..." The definitions of any terms, such as "a ground," should be defined in the Specification section of the patent.

Importation of a good covered by a U.S. patent without a license from the patent owner is potentially grounds for infringement. ... Read More

Q. If I sell a coffee blend called “Goondocks Blend” am I at risk of trademark infringement?

December 18, 2024

A: That's a great question. I highly recommend that you hire a competent trademark attorney to run a clearance search before you launch the brand. That search should take approximately 1-3 hours, depending on how many results need to be reviewed. If you get the green light, you should also consider filing a federal trademark application. The USPTO application fees for one class of goods (i.e., coffee) is $250*. If you are not currently selling coffee using that trademark, then you will file an "intent-to-use" application which requires a supplemental form in the future with proof that you are using the mark in commerce for a fee of $100*.

*All USPTO fees are current as of today and may change in 2025.

Trademark law can be deceptively complex. It currently takes 9-12 months before a trademark examiner even picks up an application due to a backlog, and that does not guarantee you will pass the examination. You will save time and money if you hire an attorney now to make sure you do it right the first time rather than be forced to rebrand in a year. ... Read More

Q. How long do US patents last?

December 17, 2024

A: In general, a utility patent registration lasts 20 years from the date the application was first filed. There are exceptions, though. For example, if certain claims are based on related patent applications filed prior to the one granted registration. Or, if the examination period was longer than it should have been, then an applicant can ask for a patent term extension.

A design patent lasts 14 years from the date of its application (if filed before 2015), and 15 years if filed after 2015.