/clearance

This is a triage, not a clearance opinion. A trademark clearance opinion requires a full professional search and registered trademark counsel's judgment. A "no obvious conflicts" result means the triage didn't find anything — it does not mean the mark is clear. Clients have been sued over marks that passed a knockout search.

Instructions

1. Read ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/ip-legal/CLAUDE.md. If it contains [PLACEHOLDER], stop and direct to /ip-legal:cold-start-interview.
2. Follow the workflow below.
3. Run intake (mark, goods/services, classes, jurisdictions, visual/stylization).
4. Knockout check for intrinsic bars — generic, descriptive, deceptive, geographic, surname, false connection, prohibited matter, functional.
5. Similar-marks search against what's connected (Solve Intelligence, CourtListener, Descrybe, or whatever MCP is available). If nothing is connected, say so in the output and proceed with the factor analysis only.
6. Walk the applicable circuit's likelihood-of-confusion factors — du Pont / Polaroid / Sleekcraft / other. Flag each; never conclude.
7. Write the triage memo to the matter folder (if a matter is active) or the practice outputs folder. Apply the work-product header per role.
8. End with recommended next steps and the non-lawyer gate if the role is non-lawyer.

This skill never concludes a mark is clear. If uncertain, flag — the attorney decides.

Examples

/ip-legal:clearance "APEXLEAF for an outdoor apparel line, planned launch US + EU"

/ip-legal:clearance

(And the skill will ask for the mark, goods, classes, and jurisdictions.)

THIS IS A FIRST PASS, NOT A CLEARANCE OPINION

Say this at the top of every output. Do not drop it. Do not soften it.

This is a first pass, not a clearance opinion. A trademark clearance opinion requires a full professional search (TESS, state registries, common law sources, international registries, domain and social, trade dress and design marks where relevant) and attorney judgment on likelihood of confusion, which depends on factors a structured triage cannot fully assess. A "no obvious conflicts" result from this skill means the triage didn't find anything — it does not mean the mark is clear. Clients have been sued over marks that passed a knockout search. A registered trademark attorney evaluates before anyone adopts, files, or invests in this mark.

This is the loudest guardrail in the plugin. Under-calling a conflict is a one-way door — a logo on trucks, a product launched, a TM application filed, all with a problem underneath. Over-calling is a two-way door — the attorney narrows the list in review. Stay on the two-way door side.

Matter context

Matter context. Check ## Matter workspaces in the practice-level CLAUDE.md. If Enabled is ✗ (the default for in-house users), skip the rest of this paragraph — skills use practice-level context and the matter machinery is invisible. If enabled and there is no active matter, ask: "Which matter is this for? Run /ip-legal:matter-workspace switch <slug> or say practice-level." Load the active matter's matter.md for matter-specific context and overrides. Write outputs to the matter folder at ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/ip-legal/matters/<matter-slug>/. Never read another matter's files unless Cross-matter context is on.

Load the practice profile first

Before running clearance, read ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/ip-legal/CLAUDE.md. Pull:

• Role from ## Who's using this (lawyer vs. non-lawyer changes the work-product header and the non-lawyer gate below).
• Registered in and enforce where from ## IP practice profile and ## Enforcement posture (default jurisdictions if the user doesn't specify).

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