We often discuss the numerous challenges that can arise when businesses want to protect their intellectual property. One common issue is mitigating the threat of infringement by securing trade secrets, patents and copyrights. But in some cases, the best way to resolve...
5 Key Steps For Protecting IP While Building A Brand
When you are embarking on a new business, are developing a new invention, or are building your brand as a writer, artist, or designer, your intellectual property is your most essential asset. It’s imperative to protect your IP early on. While navigating the world of...
Apple to pay millions for patent infringements
Using patented materials without authorization is a serious offense that can cost infringing parties money, resources and time they would likely have preferred to put toward their business and operations. And in some cases, these costs are enormous. For instance, a...
Supreme Court ruling affects IPR and post-grant review processes
Patents give holders a great deal of control over an invention. These rights determine who may use, sell and license the invention, and it can be a crucial component of a business's competitive edge in the marketplace. However, people can challenge patents. And a...
IP controversy: Should US lift vaccine rights?
The global population has been suffering the effects of COVID-19 for over a year. In many countries, vaccine availability has been a source of hope. However, not all countries have access to enough vaccines. This is due in part to intellectual property rules that...
More to patent disputes than infringement claims
Patents are incredibly valuable to companies, particularly those in the technology industry. These businesses fail or thrive based on their ability to provide the newest, the fastest or the most innovative solutions. Thus, disputes regarding patents and other tools to...
Can you choose not to enforce your patent?
Patents provide critical legal protections for owners. As such, securing a patent for novel works is crucial. However, it is only one element of protecting your product. You must also enforce your rights to ensure other parties do not use it without your permission....
Though Growing, Female Patent Inventors Still Lag Behind Male Counterparts
by Marra Clay, guest blogger and J.D. Candidate at the University of Minnesota Law School In 1793, Hannah Wilkinson Slater received a patent for creating a new method of producing cotton-sewing thread. She is often celebrated as the first female inventor to receive a...
Supreme Court slaps down PTO pursuit of attorneys’ fees
The U.S. Supreme Court has weighed in on a new U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) practice when patent applicants appeal adverse decisions in district court. And the Court’s conclusion is welcome news for applicants who want to go this route to contest the denial...
Look before you leap
Foreign publication leads to patent invalidation It’s not easy out there for a patent owner. Even after a patent is granted, an owner can find the patent’s validity challenged if it hasn’t thoroughly searched for “prior art.” That’s what happened to one...