Law Center News
SULC Tech Students Secure Trademark Registration For Local Artist Leah Marchand
This semester, students in the Southern University Law Center Technology and Entrepreneurship Clinic successfully obtained a federal trademark registration for renowned local artist Leah Marchand.
Marchand has been a long-term client of the Clinic, first learning about this valuable community resource through one of the Clinic’s outreach programs. She later became a full clinic client and worked closely with SULC Tech students, who provided comprehensive legal support including business contract drafting and intellectual property asset protection and management.
“Marina and the students at SULC Tech were incredible,” said Marchand. “They took the time to listen to my creative process, how I work with clients on commissions, and the concerns I had about protecting my artwork. They drafted several contracts for me to use, found reference sites that are safe for me to work from, and walked me through copyrighting my work. They also handled the research, paperwork, and application to trademark my name. How exciting.”
Earlier this semester, the clinic received a notice of registration for Marchand’s trademark, which, as is customary for artists, consists of her name. Marina Biragova, Executive Director and Managing Attorney of the Clinic, explained the broader significance of this milestone. “Trademark law treats surnames and personal names with special scrutiny, which makes trademarking an artist’s name particularly challenging,” Biragova said. “Yet for artists, their name is often central to their livelihood, reputation, and consumer recognition. When cost becomes a barrier, our clinic exists to make that protection accessible.”
For Marchand, the registration carried both professional and personal meaning. “The other day I was painting my logo on signs for an art show,” she shared. “It brought me immense pride to paint the registered symbol behind my name. I wish more artists understood how important copyrights and trademarks are, not only to ensure they are not infringing on someone else’s work, but to protect their own art, name, and brand.”
Students in the clinic are authorized to file and prosecute trademark and patent applications before the United States Patent and Trademark Office through the USPTO Clinic Certification Program. SULC Tech is one of only a few clinics nationwide approved to handle both trademark and patent matters and is the only program of its kind in Louisiana. Marchand’s trademark application was prosecuted by student attorneys Noah Hill and Alexa Isaac, who graduated from Southern University Law Center in the spring of 2025.
Emphasizing the impact of the clinic’s work, Marchand added, “The staff and students at SULC Tech were professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly helpful in positioning me for success as a professional artist. What an amazing asset for Baton Rouge.”
The Southern University Law Center Technology and Entrepreneurship Clinic is proud to support creative professionals like Leah Marchand and looks foward to helping more artists take full ownership of their intellectual property.
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