It’s Our Anniversary!!!
How Major Brands Are Protecting Their Social Impact—Legally | I Am What an Intellectual Property Attorney Looks Like.
Hey Fam,
GUESS WHAT?!
🎉 It’s our SIX-YEAR anniversary.
I truly can’t believe we’ve made it this far.
Six years ago today, we launched Firm for the Culture with the bold idea that:
Intellectual Property is a Civil Right.
Coming from Big Law and corporate America in Silicon Valley, I didn’t see a lot of people who looked like me — not on the client side, and definitely not on the lawyer side.
But I knew our community mattered, that we brought dynamic, brilliant, and culture-shifting contributions to the table.
So, in bringing a team together, we wanted to make sure we could protect your works — not just with law, but with empowerment, validation, and access.
Because, your intellectual property matters.
That’s why we launched Firm for the Culture: to equip diverse and dynamic founders like you with the tools to own, leverage, and monetize your brilliance.
And as I type this founders letter at 11:00 p.m. at night, I am still grateful that I am fully and unequivocally in my purpose:
In fact, since launching Firm for the Culture, we’ve:
Served over 350 clients
Maintained a 97.5% win rate at the USPTO (…you betta ask somebody….)
Delivered over 100 workshops, trainings, and speaking engagements
Provided low-cost and accessible legal education to changemakers across the world
Helped diverse founders leverage, protect, and monetize their intellectual property — with strategy, with clarity, and with heart.
And the thing is?
We’re just getting started.
If you’ve been part of this journey in any way, drop a comment below.
Six years in business isn’t easy — and your words of celebration mean more than you know.
Now, with this six-year anniversary, my team and I have been thinking a lot about purpose.
What is purpose, really?
Sometimes it feels so big, so all-encompassing — a calling, a mission, a reason to keep going.
Other times, it feels slippery, shapeless, like you’re chasing something you can’t quite define.
Purpose can be the thing that keeps you showing up every day.
Or the thing that makes you walk away from what no longer aligns.
It can be energizing.
It can be heavy.
It can be clarifying.
It can be confusing.
But one thing it always is? Powerful.
And in our work — especially in the IP space — we’ve been asking:
What does it mean to protect purpose?
Can you trademark something as expansive and spiritual as purpose?
Short answer: yes.
Stay with me, fam.
We’re about to unpack this together…
In This Founder’s Letter, we’re diving into how brands are taking their missions from movement to protected asset.
We’ll unpack how Eli Lilly, Tory Burch, and Dove are trademarking their purpose—not just to build profit, but to safeguard impact.
Because in today’s marketplace, protecting what you stand for is just as important as protecting what you sell.
Ready?
Let’s get into it.
But First, Church Announcements:
Introducing the “Leverage Your Brilliance” Series
Only two workshops left!
Starting this October, I’m thrilled to announce a new four-part workshop series designed for creators, thought leaders, and culture-shapers who want to protect, monetize, and leverage their brilliance.
Whether you’re a speaker, musician, educator, or entrepreneur — your ideas are valuable.
And it’s time to treat them that way.
Each week, we’ll dive into a different area of intellectual property (IP), giving you tangible strategies to safeguard your work and position your brilliance for long-term impact and income.
All sessions will be held at 8 a.m. PST on the following Thursdays:
So Register Here to Save the Dates:
October 16October 30November 13 - UPCOMING - REGISTER HERE TO GET THE NOTES + LIVE LINK ACCESS
December 4 - UPCOMING
Workshop Lineup:
What to Do Before You Brand: October 16, 2025The pre-legal foundation that helps you build a brand worth protecting.
Copyrights for the Culture: October 30, 2025From music to course materials, learn how to protect the creative works you’ve poured your soul into.Introduction to IP Licensing: November 13, 2025
A breakdown of how licensing works, what to watch for, and how to get paid while keeping ownership.
Social Impact Licensing: Success Stories: December 4, 2025
Real-life case studies of brands who’ve turned impact into income without compromising their mission.
Sign Up for Our Third Workshop Here:
Let’s close the year strong — with strategy, clarity, and protection for the intellectual property that’s been building your legacy all along.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled program…. :)
However you define “purpose",” just know that for many businesses…
Purpose equals profit.
It’s profitable to be serious about making change, as long as such change can scale with intention and integrity.
This makes sense. According to the Stanford Social Innovation Review, nearly two-thirds of Americans believe companies should take the lead in driving social and environmental change.
And as a millennial entrepreneur, I felt personally seen when I read Deloitte’s Global Millennial Survey (2019), which found that millennials and Gen Zs start and stop relationships with companies based on their social impact.
In other words, we are more likely to leave leadership positions if we feel we can make a bigger difference elsewhere.
Purpose can drive growth. And lack of purpose can detract from it.
So let’s dig into three companies promoting and protecting their purpose:
In 2024, pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly filed for a trademark on “The Court Is Hers”—Serial No. 99249914, owned by Eli Lilly and Company.
To be sure, this isn’t a pharmaceutical filing.
This is a basketball-based empowerment campaign that focuses on promoting women’s health, representation in sports, and educational programming.
The trademark covers:
Public awareness around health and gender equity
Community-based education
Promotion of athletic and leadership development for young women
By protecting The Court Is Hers as a mark, Eli Lilly ensures no one can dilute the impact.
It legally safeguards the message—and extends its brand equity into purpose-driven territory.
This is a case study in goodwill leverage.
Build trust and quality in your core products. Then protect purpose as an extension.
Tory Burch may be known for luxury handbags and monogrammed flats. But behind the scenes, the Tory Burch Foundation is transforming lives.
As a Tory Burch Fellow, I’ve had the privilege of attending the Embrace Ambition Conference multiple times.
It’s been life-changing.
These aren’t just inspirational events—they’re legally protected pillars of the brand.
Among the 24+ filings the brand has made are:
Tory Burch Foundation — Serial No. 87738599
Embrace Ambition — Serial No. 87738609
Tory Burch Flower Logo — Serial No. 85701644
These trademarks protect:
Events, conferences, and workshops
Educational and mentoring programs for women entrepreneurs
Branded merchandise and media
And this isn’t surface-level. Tory Burch has committed to generating over $1 billion in economic impact for women entrepreneurs by 2030.
That’s not a campaign.
That’s a trademarked commitment.
And business owners like me are the beneficiaries of Tory’s intentional and dynamic purpose.
Unilever-owned Dove has filed over 2,000 trademarks under its parent company Conopco, Inc.
Two standout campaigns?
Dove Body Love — Serial No. 90480023
Building Girls’ Self-Esteem — Serial No. 97530538
These aren’t about body wash or deodorant.
They cover:
Educational programs on body confidence and mental health
Resources for schools and parents
Partnerships with researchers and advocacy orgs
With these filings, Dove doesn’t just build trust. It builds a legal fence around impact messaging. It protects its ability to scale change through:
Licensing
Partnerships
Global social education initiatives
This is how you trademark purpose without compromising profit.
When brands build trust through their goods and services, they create goodwill.
That goodwill is a valuable business asset.
And increasingly, companies are using it to launch and protect impact-driven sub-brands.
This isn’t a trend. It’s a shift.
Here’s what it shows us:
You don’t have to choose between profit and purpose.
You can and should file trademarks to protect your social impact.
You should treat your mission as valuable IP—because it is.
Whether you’re a solo founder or a global corporation, the lesson is clear:
Impact without protection is vulnerable.
But when you trademark purpose, you don’t just stand for something.
You secure it.
Let me know if you want a downloadable guide or checklist for protecting your mission-based brand.
If your brand stands for something bigger than sales—have you protected that too?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
Need Help Protecting Your Creativity?
If you are unsure—or if you know you need to take action—reach out to us.
We have helped countless founders and creatives safeguard their intellectual property, and we would love to do the same for you.
If you need further guidance, reach out to me and my team at Firm for the Culture.
We’re here to help you navigate the copyright, trademark, and thought leadership journey.
Can’t wait to help you protect your dynamic impact.
And #ThatsAWrap
The Doors of the Church Firm Are Open
Thanks for reading
See you next time.
This is wonderful Happy Anniversary
Onya, Ruky!...and the whole FFTC...congratulations on six huge years! And more importantly, on the difference you're making.
Some inspiration...the best work of Australia's best evah ad man, David Droga, over his 37 years in the industry, many of them in New York.
As you scroll down, the campaign taglines just scream 'trademark me'.
Don't miss 'The Milliion'. Or 'I will what I want' (Under Armour).
As a Sydney-sider, 'Play it Safe' (scroll to the end) makes me tear up.
You're welcome. :-)
https://adage.com/creativity/aa-david-droga-37-career-campaigns/