Serena Williams is one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. But when it comes to trademark law, being famous does not automatically mean a name is available for registration. On August 12, 2026, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) affirmed the USPTO’s refusal to register SERENA VENTURES, the name Williams used for her venture capital business. The issue was not whether Serena Williams is famous. The issue was an existing federal registration for SERENA co

Written by Aisha McKinney, Esq., Principal Attorney & Co-Founder at Zova Law, and Jasmine Johnson Parker, Esq., Co-Founder & Counsel at Zova Law. Quick Answer: Every contractor and vendor agreement needs five provisions most founder-to-freelancer agreements are missing: (1) a work-for-hire clause and IP assignment explicitly transferring ownership of deliverables to the hiring business; (2) a confidentiality provision restricting the contractor from disclosing business and cl

Written by Aisha McKinney, Esq., Principal Attorney & Co-Founder at Zova Law, and Jasmine Johnson Parker, Esq., Co-Founder & Counsel at Zova Law. Quick Answer: A licensing agreement should cover five core protections: exclusivity definition (who else can use the IP), territory and channel limits (where and how), royalty and payment terms (how much and when, including audit rights), quality control provisions (who can modify it and who owns derivatives), and termination and