Patents
Patents are grants of exclusive rights in inventions. The grant is limited in time to less than 20 years, and must be applied for by disclosing the invention completely enough that people having ordinary skill in the same technical art can make and use it. The patent is the reward for making the disclosure, which benefits the public by increasing the store of knowledge.
Trademarks
Trademark law protects names, symbols, or other indicia when used to represent the source or origin of specific products or services. Trademarks must be "distinctive," meaning they must be capable of distinguishing one vendor's products or services from another. If they are "merely descriptive" of the goods or services, they must be used sufficiently so that consumers come to recognize them as trademarks.
Copyrights
Copyright law protects original, i.e., creative, expression that is, essentially, recorded (called a "work"). It grants the originator (called the "author") the exclusive right to make and distribute copies. The copyright is subject to a number of exceptions. Generally, the most important exception is "fair use," examples of which are news reporting and teaching. Satire and parody which are "transformative" of a work are also allowed under the First Amendment.
About You
You may be an inventor, a business owner or representative, or an artist or writer. You may have been accused of infringing a patent, trademark, or copyright, or you may be seeking to protect an invention, or register a trademark or copyright. Intellectual property is valuable, and especially if you own or represent a business, you may want to formulate an overall strategy for protecting it, or evaluate and possibly modify an existing one.
You may have experience in such matters, but recognize that you need help. Intellectual property law and practice are often counter-intuitive, and there are many traps, so you will benefit greatly from the guidance we can provide.
About Us
We're here to help. We specialize in intellectual property which includes, but is not limited to, patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret law. We have considerable experience protecting your creative concepts, in the U.S. and in foreign countries. We can make realistic assessments of the problems you confront, and the opportunities that are available.
We listen to understand your needs, and based on those needs provide you information you can use. Every course of action involves a number of considerations, leading to a decision. We want you to understand the considerations, and to feel enabled and empowered to make the decision that is right for you.
