IP Strategy

IP Strategy to Enhance Profits

Most people know that they should contact an attorney when it comes to contracts, but many people think that some situations are so simple that they can save money and come to an agreement themselves. Intellectual Property is a valuable asset which, if properly handled, can lead to enhanced profits, beyond sales of your actual products or services through your normal business channels.  We can help you develop a strategy that protects and extends your IP rights, and can help you find profitable opportunities.

Our IP strategy and counseling services include:

• Developing and refining your IP strategy
• Managing your IP portfolio
• Strategic use of trademarks, copyrights and patents – to protect your rights and to improve profits
• Freedom to practice searches, analysis and opinions
• Patent validity studies, opinions, and post-grant proceedings
• Counseling on patent infringement risk management
• Reviewing IP procedures to reduce the risk of loss of IP rights

Free Consultation Helpful

When it comes to Intellectual Property, there are many ways a do-it-yourself approach can jeopardize your IP rights, and you should especially contact us for a free consultation.  If the situation warrants it and we feel you can save money and do it yourself, we’ll tell you.  But we will first inquire about all the relevant factors to determine if that is safe.  If you need our help, we will offer you an affordable solution that protects your Intellectual Property.

Providing for Unexpected Changes

Another factor many people don’t consider is what happens if the relationship sours.  Two parties may begin by sharing an IP right, thus sharing in the cost of obtaining the right or in implementing the market solution, based on the confidence they have in the relationship because of their current situation, their good business relationship, and shared goals, perhaps being in a stable, ongoing business relationship.  But situations sometimes change unexpectedly, and former friends or close business associates can part ways – then who controls the IP rights?  Foreseeing this potentiality and providing for a fair and orderly disposition of assets, or maintaining a single source of control in a written contract, is vital.

Continuity of IP Rights

The money is only one part of the question.  More important is continuity of the IP rights themselves – ensuring nothing will happen that jeopardizes the validity of the patent, trademark or copyright in the future, which can easily happen whenever two parties are going in different directions in implementing their IP rights.

For example, any time you give a third party a share in your IP rights, whether it is allowing them to reproduce your patented invention, or using your trademark or copyrighted work on their own products, there is a chance that your rights may be diluted, or quite possibly, your IP rights can be invalidated without your knowing that this could happen.  This is because holders of Intellectual Property are required to control the relevant products or services to ensure they adhere to the restrictions in the patent, trademark or copyright.  If adequate controls are not in place, other third parties can claim, justifiably, that you failed to police your IP rights in the case of your partner, and so you have lost the right to prevent others from using it as well.  You must first of all, properly document the relationship so that it is clear that you retain control of the property.

Licensing Protections

As you can see, it is very important to consult with a lawyer early in the process of engaging with a third in any kind of licensing arrangement, so that you do not lose any negotiating points early in the process, before you bring a lawyer on-board.  And to consider accepting a form of agreement from the third party without consulting with your own lawyer is inviting trouble, perhaps even endangering your IP rights, which can be threatened by third party activities if not controlled by a carefully constructed agreement with realistic enforcement terms.

We would be happy to offer you an initial free consultation to help you in your thinking about any kind of IP licensing agreement.