Can I do a trademark search myself?
Yes. There is no requirement when applying for trademark registration that you conduct a throughout search beforehand. HOWEVER, if it turns out a comprehensive search (covered in our last blog post that you can find here) will give you a much better idea of whether the mark you want to protect is 1) not already in use and 2) potentially available.
To get started on the search process yourself you can check google and the USPTO TESS (Trademark Electronic Search System). One thing to note is that TESS only works on EXACT words and as we know from previous blog posts, the USPTO considers phonetics as well meaning Apple sounds the same as Appull so you cannot sell computers with this new spelling as it could be confusing to consumers who only hear the name brand. That is why Trademark attorneys will cover an extensive search which including other spellings and sounds so we can go into the application phase knowing as many details about potential conflicting marks as possible.