A boutique trademark law firm outside Charlotte, North Carolina — built on discipline, precision, and a commitment to protecting what our clients have built.
Steven J. Goralski is the founder and managing attorney of Blue Ridge Trademark. He brings over a decade of legal experience to the firm — a career that began not in a law office, but in the United States Marine Corps.
Mr. Goralski originally commissioned as a Marine Corps officer and served as a Comptroller before being competitively selected to attend law school while still on active duty. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Louisville and holds a Master of Science in Business Administration from Boston University.
After completing law school, Mr. Goralski served two years as a military criminal defense attorney at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune — one of the busiest defense offices in the Marine Corps. He represented service members at administrative separation boards, special courts-martial, and general courts-martial, consistently achieving overwhelmingly favorable outcomes for his clients.
Following his time as a defense counsel, Mr. Goralski served as in-house counsel to the Commanding General of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, advising on matters involving the Uniform Code of Military Justice, administrative military law, and Department of Defense regulations. He attained the rank of Major before resigning his active duty commission in 2018 after more than 11 years of service.
After leaving active duty, Mr. Goralski worked at Bank of America's corporate offices in Charlotte, North Carolina, serving in Global Treasury Services and Operational Excellence, before going on his own. He initially established a practice focused on military criminal defense as a civilian attorney, representing service members at installations across the country.
After ten years of practicing military law, Mr. Goralski is transitioning to trademark practice, bringing his meticulous attention to detail and trial advocacy experience to a new area of law. Blue Ridge Trademark is the product of that transition — a boutique trademark law firm built on the same principles that defined his military career: meticulous preparation, direct communication, disciplined execution, and an unwavering commitment to his clients' interests.
Trademark law demands the same qualities that make a successful trial attorney — precision in drafting, thorough research, strategic thinking, and the ability to advocate persuasively in writing. The clearance analysis that precedes a trademark filing requires the same exhaustive attention to detail as preparing a defense case. An office action response requires the same persuasive legal writing as a motion to dismiss. And an opposition proceeding before the TTAB is, at its core, a trial.
Mr. Goralski's practice is built around these strengths. Every clearance search is conducted with the thoroughness of a pre-trial investigation. Every application is prepared with the precision of a legal brief. And every office action response is written with the persuasive force of a courtroom advocate.
Major — 11+ years active duty
Licensed attorney — authorized to represent applicants before the USPTO
University of Louisville
Boston University
Three commitments that guide every engagement.
We secure your brand with meticulous trademark registration — thorough clearance, precise applications, and determined prosecution through the USPTO.
We defend your rights with the same tenacity that defined Mr. Goralski's courtroom career — cease and desist letters and marketplace enforcement that put infringers on notice.
We help you grow with confidence through ongoing trademark monitoring, portfolio management, and strategic counsel as your brand expands.
Blue Ridge Trademark is a boutique trademark law firm located outside Charlotte, North Carolina. We provide trademark registration, clearance searching, enforcement, and monitoring services to businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the United States.
We founded the firm on the belief that every brand — whether a solo entrepreneur's first venture or a growing company's expanding portfolio — deserves thoughtful, meticulous legal protection. We combine the attentiveness of a boutique practice with the capacity to serve clients at every stage of their brand journey.
Our practice is entirely focused on trademark law. That singular focus allows us to stay current with every development in USPTO examination standards, TTAB case law, and federal trademark jurisprudence. When you engage Blue Ridge Trademark, you get a firm that lives and breathes this area of law every day.
All of our services are available remotely. While we are based outside Charlotte, NC, we serve clients in all 50 states. Trademark registration is a federal process conducted through the USPTO's electronic systems, and we provide the same level of dedicated service regardless of where our clients are located.
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