Trademark Infringement Lawyer in Los Angeles

Last updated: November 2026

A trademark infringement lawyer in Los Angeles stops competitors from using a confusingly similar name, logo, or packaging, pursues counterfeiters, and defends businesses that receive a cease and desist letter from a larger brand. Kolmogorov Law, P.C. is a California business litigation firm that handles trademark cases for Los Angeles companies in the Central District of California at the First Street Courthouse downtown and, for state claims, in Los Angeles Superior Court. One attorney handles each case personally.

Call (909) 235-6116 or contact us online to discuss a trademark problem in Los Angeles.

Trademark services for Los Angeles businesses

Infringement claims. When another business uses a mark that is likely to confuse your customers about who is behind the goods or services. A registered mark is protected against any reproduction, copy, or colorable imitation used in commerce in a way likely to cause confusion. (15 U.S.C. § 1114(1).) An unregistered mark is protected by the Lanham Act's false designation provision, with the same confusion test. (15 U.S.C. § 1125(a)(1).)

Counterfeiting. Knock-off goods sold through storefronts, swap meets, and online marketplaces, which is a large part of the trademark docket in Los Angeles. The remedies are stronger and the enforcement tools include seizure.

Cease and desist defense. Businesses accused of infringement by a larger company, often over a name they have used for years. We evaluate the letter, the sender's registration, and the defenses, and we respond or file first for a declaration of non-infringement when that is the better move.

License and brand collaboration disputes, including post-termination use and royalty audits.

Keyword advertising disputes, where a competitor buys your name in Google Ads. Our Google Ads page explains when that crosses the line.

The firm litigates. We do not file trademark applications as a standalone service, though we handle registration when it is part of an enforcement plan.

Three Los Angeles trademark disputes, as examples

A Silver Lake coffee roaster with a registered mark and a loyal following learns that a regional chain has opened two locations under a nearly identical name and a similar cup design. Customers tag the wrong business on social media. The roaster has an infringement claim with good confusion evidence, and the chain's size does not help it.

A Fashion District apparel label finds its logo on counterfeit hoodies sold through several marketplace storefronts and a downtown wholesaler. The label needs the sellers identified, the listings removed, and the wholesaler enjoined, in that order.

A family-owned restaurant in the San Gabriel Valley receives a letter from a national brand claiming its decades-old name infringes a mark registered five years ago. The restaurant used the name first. Priority of use is the defense, and the response letter writes itself once the dates are documented.

How a likelihood of confusion case is proved

The central question in nearly every trademark case is whether consumers are likely to be confused. Courts in the Ninth Circuit, which covers Los Angeles, weigh a set of factors. They look at the strength of the mark, how related the goods or services are, how similar the marks look and sound, and evidence of actual confusion. They also consider the marketing channels, how careful the buyers are, the defendant's intent, and the likelihood of expansion.

For a local business the evidence that matters most is usually simple. Misdirected calls and emails. Reviews posted to the wrong listing. Customers who showed up at the wrong location. We ask clients to begin logging these the day they call.

Where Los Angeles trademark cases are heard

Federal trademark claims for Los Angeles businesses are filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division, at the First Street Courthouse, 350 West First Street, downtown.

State claims, including California trademark claims and unfair competition claims under Business and Professions Code section 17200, may be filed in Los Angeles Superior Court at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street. The unfair competition law reaches any unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business practice and is usually pleaded alongside the Lanham Act claims. (Bus. & Prof. Code, § 17200.) Our UCL page explains its limits.

Remedies in a Los Angeles trademark case

The remedy most clients want is an injunction, and it is available early in the case when the harm is ongoing. Our TRO and injunction page describes the process. Money follows where the case warrants it. A prevailing plaintiff may recover the defendant's profits, its own damages, and the costs of the action, and the court may award attorney fees in exceptional cases. (15 U.S.C. § 1117(a).) In assessing profits the plaintiff proves the defendant's sales and the defendant must prove its costs, which makes the profits remedy practical against a counterfeiter who kept poor records.

The Los Angeles businesses we represent

Apparel and streetwear labels. Restaurants, cafes, and food brands. Beauty and wellness companies. Entertainment services vendors and production companies. Software and digital agencies. Medical, dental, and professional practices whose names draw their patients.

Chambers and Partners ranks the firm in its USA Spotlight 2026 guide for general commercial litigation in Orange County. The firm is a BBB Accredited Business, rated A.

How the firm works on a trademark case

One attorney handles the matter. I review the registrations and the adoption history myself, draft the demand or the response, and file the case if it comes to that.

Most trademark disputes do not reach a courtroom. A demand letter that attaches the registration, documents first use, and lays out the confusion evidence resolves many of them. Where the other side will not stop, we file in the court where the remedy is fastest.

What to bring to the first meeting

Evidence of first use: early invoices, the first website, signage photographs, the business license, and the fictitious business name filing. Registration certificates or application numbers. The agreement with whoever designed the logo. Dated screenshots of the other side's use. A log of confused customers. If you received a letter, the letter, the sender's registration, and any clearance search you ran before adopting the name.

Frequently asked questions

How do I stop someone from using my business name in Los Angeles?

Document your first use and the confusion, then send a demand letter with the evidence attached. If that fails, a federal lawsuit with a motion for a preliminary injunction is the next step. If the other side is a marketplace seller, the platform's takedown process is usually faster than either.

Do I need a registered trademark to sue for infringement?

No. The Lanham Act protects unregistered marks against confusing uses, and the confusion analysis is the same. (15 U.S.C. § 1125(a)(1).) Registration helps: it is evidence of ownership and validity, and it strengthens the demand letter. If you have been using the name without registering, it is usually worth filing now.

I received a trademark cease and desist letter. Do I have to rebrand?

Not necessarily. Some letters overreach: the marks differ, the goods are unrelated, you used the name first, or the sender waited too long. Others are well founded, and a rebrand now costs less than one after two years of litigation. Have the letter reviewed before responding, and do not contact the sender until you have.

Can I recover attorney fees in a trademark case?

Sometimes. The Lanham Act allows fees to the prevailing party in exceptional cases, which generally means cases involving willful infringement or litigation conduct that stands out. (15 U.S.C. § 1117(a).) Fees are not routine, and the budget should assume you will bear your own.

What is the difference between trademark infringement and unfair competition?

Trademark infringement is the federal claim for confusing use of a mark. Unfair competition under California law is a broader claim that reaches unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business practices, and it is usually pleaded alongside the trademark claim. Its remedies are narrower: injunctions and restitution, not damages.

Talk to a Los Angeles trademark litigation attorney

Call (909) 235-6116 or contact us online. Kolmogorov Law, P.C. is located at 327 Magnet, Irvine, CA 92618, and represents businesses in Los Angeles County and throughout California.

This page provides general information about federal and California trademark law and is not legal advice. Outcomes depend on the dates of first use, the registrations, and the facts.