Protect the Name on the Tower
Developments, condominiums, branded residences, and brokerages sell on their names. We clear and register real estate brands, structure name licenses with developers, and act against look-alike project names.
What real estate brands run into
Miami's branded-residence market is one of the largest in the world, which makes name licensing and look-alike project names a recurring issue.
Development and condominium names
Project names are chosen late and announced early, often without clearance.
Federal Trademark Applications →Problem 2Branded residences and name licensing
Hotel, fashion, and celebrity brands license their names to developers under complex agreements.
Federal Trademark Applications →Problem 3Look-alike project names
Competing projects adopt similar names to benefit from an established development.
Trademark Infringement Litigation →Problem 4Florida-only brokerage and project brands
Some local brands benefit from a Florida registration as well as, or instead of, a federal one.
Florida State Trademarks →Integra Investments: protecting new South Florida developments from the start
Integra Investments is a Miami real estate investment and development firm. For its new rental development in North Miami, our real estate trademark team, led by Melissa Dangond Crews, filed federal applications for the project name before leasing begins, in the name of the company's IP holding entity, Integra IP Holdings, LLC.
New applications for the North Miami development
Applicant: Integra IP Holdings, LLC, Miami. Click a number for the USPTO record.
| Mark | Application | Class | Filed | Form | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAKEVIEW AT NOMI | Serial 50081307 | 36 | Aug. 31, 2026 | Standard characters | Filed; awaiting examination |
| LAKEVIEW (stylized) | Serial 50110002 | 36 | Sept. 15, 2026 | Stylized wording; the E in LAKE drawn as three wavy lines | Filed; awaiting examination |
The strategy
- File before the launch. Intent-to-use applications give the project a nationwide priority date before marketing, signage, and leasing begin.
- Full name and short name. LAKEVIEW AT NOMI protects the full project name tied to its North Miami location; LAKEVIEW protects the short name and its wave logo as residents and brokers will use them.
- Services that match the business. Both applications cover leasing of real estate and rental of apartments, the services the development will actually offer.
- An IP holding company. Holding the marks in Integra IP Holdings, LLC keeps them separate from the project entities and ready to license across developments.
What happens next
- Late 2026–2027●
USPTO examination of both applications, and any response needed.
- After approval●
Publication for opposition, then a notice of allowance.
- Leasing begins★
Statements of use filed with evidence of leasing under the marks; registrations issue.
Status from USPTO records as of October 28, 2026. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Featured with the client's permission.
ONE Sotheby's International Realty: registering ONE
MDLV, LLC, doing business as ONE Sotheby's International Realty, is one of South Florida's leading luxury brokerages. As its trademark counsel, our team registered the ONE mark for real estate brokerage services and secured allowance of its WE SIMPLY DO MORE. ONE slogan mark.
From filing to registration
- Dec. 18, 2025●
WE SIMPLY DO MORE. ONE filed for real estate brokerage, consultation, and listing services.
- Jan. 12, 2026●
ONE filed as a design mark for real estate brokerage services, based on use.
- May 19, 2026●
WE SIMPLY DO MORE. ONE published for opposition; no opposition filed. Notice of allowance issued.
- June 16, 2026●
ONE published for opposition; no opposition filed.
- Aug. 4, 2026★
ONE registered, Reg. No. 8,377,089.
| Mark | Reg. no. | Class | Filed | Registered | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ONE (stylized) | 8377089 | 36 | Jan. 12, 2026 | Aug. 4, 2026 | Registered |
| WE SIMPLY DO MORE. ONE | Serial 99554671 | 36 | Dec. 18, 2025 | — | Notice of allowance issued |
Why a one-word mark was worth registering
- Short marks are hard to own. A common word like ONE is registrable only for specific services and in a distinctive presentation. The application was drafted to match how the brokerage uses the mark.
- The brand alongside a licensed name. A franchise affiliate uses the network's name under license. Registering its own mark gives the brokerage an asset it owns outright.
- Slogan and mark together. WE SIMPLY DO MORE. ONE ties the brokerage's tagline to its mark, so both are protected.
- Speed. Registration in about seven months put the mark on the federal register within a single selling season.
Status from USPTO records as of October 28, 2026. SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL REALTY is a mark of its owner, used by ONE Sotheby's International Realty under license. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Featured with the client's permission.
ICONBRICKELL: a federal registration for a condominium association
IconBrickell Master Association, Inc. governs the ICONBRICKELL condominium towers on Brickell Avenue in Miami. Our team, led by Allison Imber, prepared the application, prosecuted it through examination, and secured U.S. Registration No. 6,298,173 for ICONBRICKELL, giving the association a federally registered mark of its own.
From application to registration
- Feb. 25, 2020●
First use of ICONBRICKELL for the association's services.
- Feb. 28, 2020●
Application filed in standard characters, on the basis of use, for homeowner association services in Class 35.
- Jan. 5, 2021●
Approved and published for opposition; no opposition filed.
- Mar. 23, 2021★
Registered on the Principal Register, Reg. No. 6,298,173.
- Mar. 2026–Mar. 2027◆
Window to file the Section 8 declaration of continued use, and a Section 15 declaration of incontestability, to keep the registration in force.
Why an association registers its own mark
- The association's name, not just the developer's. Developers often register project names for development and sales services. Once the project is sold out, the association needs rights of its own for the services it provides to owners.
- Services drafted to fit. The registration covers promoting the interests of the condominium's homeowners and marketing the condominium nationwide to prospective residents and owners, matching what the association actually does.
- One word, standard characters. Registering ICONBRICKELL in standard characters protects the name in any style, logo, or signage.
- Enforcement against look-alikes. A registration supports demand letters, platform takedowns, and UDRP complaints against rental listings, websites, and businesses that trade on the building's name.
Status from USPTO records as of October 28, 2026. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Featured with the client's permission.
E11EVEN: prosecution and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board work for GR OPCO
GR OPCO, LLC owns the E11EVEN brand, which began as a Miami nightclub and now extends to hotel and branded-residence projects, spirits, music, apparel, and events. Our team handled prosecution of the E11EVEN portfolio before the USPTO and served as counsel of record in its Trademark Trial and Appeal Board proceedings.
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board proceedings
Proceedings involving E11EVEN applications and registrations.
- Opposition No. 91277633E11EVEN, Classes 36 and 37 (three applications)Resolved; applications allowed and proceeding
- Opposition No. 91285005E11EVEN CAPTAIN'S CLUB and 11 CAPTAIN'S CLUBResolved; both marks registered in 2026
- Cancellation No. 92079818E11EVEN, Reg. No. 5,921,909Terminated; registration remains in force
- Opposition No. 91276925E11EVEN HOTEL and 11 HOTELConcluded; applications abandoned
- Opposition No. 91277938E11EVEN HOTEL AND RESIDENCESConcluded; applications abandoned
Real estate and residence marks
E11EVEN filings for real estate (Class 36) and construction and development (Class 37) services.
| Mark | Application | Classes | Filed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E11EVEN | Serial 88868063 | 36 | Apr. 10, 2020 | Allowed; extension of time to file use granted |
| E11EVEN | Serial 88982607 | 37 | Apr. 10, 2020 | Allowed; extension of time to file use granted |
| E11EVEN CLUB HOTEL & RESIDENCES | Serial 98963302 | 35, 36, 37, 43 | Jan. 15, 2025 | Pending |
| E11EVEN CLUB HOTEL AND RESIDENCES | Serial 99085057 | 35, 36, 43 | Mar. 14, 2025 | Pending |
| E11EVEN CLUB RESIDENCES BEYOND | Serial 98963300 | 35, 36, 37, 43 | Jan. 15, 2025 | Pending |
What the work involved
- A brand that keeps expanding. Each new venture, from residences and cruises to spirits and golf events, was cleared and filed before launch, often on an intent-to-use basis.
- Branded residences. Filings in Classes 36 and 37 protect E11EVEN for real estate and development services, the foundation for licensing the name to residential projects.
- Contested matters. Oppositions and cancellation actions were handled before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, from pleadings and discovery through settlement or decision.
- Keeping allowed applications alive. Extensions of time to file proof of use kept allowed applications pending while projects moved from announcement to opening.
Status from USPTO and TTAB records as of October 28, 2026. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Featured with the client's permission.
What we recommend for real estate brands
Our five most important steps for protecting a brand in this industry, in the order most clients need them.
Clear the project name before sales materials
Search before brochures, signage, and domain names, because renaming after presales is costly.
Register the developer brand and major projects
The developer brand builds value across projects. Major projects with long sales periods deserve their own registrations.
Structure name licenses carefully
Licenses for branded residences should cover permitted uses, approvals, quality standards, fees, and de-branding.
Plan for the condominium association
Decide whether the association may keep using the project name after sell-out, and put it in the documents.
Watch for look-alike projects
Monitor new filings and announcements in your market and act early against confusingly similar names.
Real estate brand filings at the USPTO, 2021 to 2026
Applicants filed 30,306 U.S. trademark applications in this category from 2021 to 2025, and filings in 2025 were down 8% from 2021. 37,719 live registrations cover it today.
Applications filed per year
U.S. applications by filing date. The 2026 bar covers January to late October.
View data table
| Year | Applications filed | Registered to date | Abandoned | Registrations issued that year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,498 | 3,784 | 2,576 | 2,811 |
| 2022 | 6,342 | 3,476 | 2,474 | 2,715 |
| 2023 | 5,628 | 3,145 | 1,830 | 3,286 |
| 2024 | 5,828 | 2,993 | 1,815 | 4,068 |
| 2025 | 6,010 | 2,422 | 1,313 | 3,986 |
| 2026 (Jan.–Oct.) | 4,813 | 329 | 234 | 3,553 |
Applications filed and registrations issued
Applications by filing year, and registrations by the year they issued.
What happened to each year's applications
Status today of applications filed each year. Recent years are still largely pending.
How we counted. USPTO trademark records, retrieved October 28, 2026. The USPTO does not classify filings by industry, so this page counts: Applications in Class 36 whose services mention real estate. An application is counted once even if it names several qualifying classes.
Top five trademark registrants: Real Estate Brands
The owners that received the most U.S. registrations in this category since January 2021.
U.S. registrations issued since January 2021, by owner
Registrations issued January 2021 to October 2026 in the category described in the data section, by current owner.
View data table
| Rank | Owner | Registrations since 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wood Real Estate Investors, LLC | 79 |
| 2 | Hines Interests Limited Partnership | 48 |
| 3 | Trinity Property Consultants LLC | 46 |
| 4 | SPG IP Holdings, LLC (Simon) | 35 |
| 5 | NEOM Company | 29 |
Owners identified from a random sample of 15,087 of the 20,419 registrations in the category, then counted across all of them by owner name. Listed for information only. These companies are not clients of the firm, and their inclusion implies no affiliation.
What the law says
- A real estate brand is registered for services such as real estate development, brokerage, or leasing in Class 36, and often for construction in Class 37.
- A building or development name used only as the name of a place may not function as a service mark. Use it in marketing of services to support registration.
- Branded-residence licenses should control the use of the brand, the quality standards, and what happens to signage and names if the license ends.
Start here: a checklist for a new brand
Your checks are not saved.
Who does what for your brand
A licensed attorney is responsible for each matter, supported by paralegals and docketing staff who manage documents, deadlines, and monitoring.
Attorneys
Strategy, filings, and enforcement.
- Clearance searches and written risk opinions
- Applications drafted for real estate goods and services
- Responses to USPTO refusals and oppositions
- Demand letters, licenses, and litigation
Paralegals and docketing
Files complete and deadlines met.
- Specimens, dates of use, and evidence
- Docketing of every USPTO and renewal deadline
- U.S. Customs recordation and Amazon Brand Registry
- Watch notices for new conflicting filings
Client service
Clear, bilingual, and easy to reach.
- Service in English and Spanish
- Copies of every USPTO notice, explained
- A written estimate before each filing
- Renewal reminders well in advance
Frequently asked questions
Can I trademark the name of a building?
Yes, if it is used to identify services such as development, sales, or leasing, not just as the name of the place.
What is a branded residence?
A residential project that licenses a hotel, fashion, or other brand. The license controls how the brand is used.
Does my condo association own the building name?
Only if the documents give it rights. Address this before the first sale.
Should I use a Florida or federal registration?
A brokerage or project marketed only in Florida can use a Florida registration, but federal registration protects against national and foreign buyers' confusion.
What if another developer uses a similar name?
A cease-and-desist letter is the usual first step. If confusion continues, infringement litigation is available.
When should I file?
Before the project is announced. An intent-to-use application reserves the name.
Talk to us about your real estate brand
Tell us your brand, what you sell, and where. We will check the register, recommend the right filings, and give you a written estimate.
- Clearance searches
- Federal and Florida filings
- Enforcement and litigation
- Customs and marketplace protection