Do You Need a Lawyer to File a Patent?

Some key terms used in this article:

Types of Patents

Have you invented or designed something new?

Are You an Inventor?

Inventorship and ownership of an invention are not the same thing.

Getting a Patent on Your Own

To obtain a patent, you must ensure that your invention qualifies for a patent and then be able to describe it in your application.

How to Protect Your Invention When Pitching It

How do you preserve your trade secrets when shopping your invention?

Finding and Disclosing to a Patent Attorney

At some point, you may need the advice and counsel of an experienced patent attorney.

Copyright

A bundle of exclusive rights granted to the author of a creative work such as book, movie, song, painting, photograph, design, computer software, or architecture.

Fair Use

A copyright principle that excuses unauthorized uses of a work when used for a transformative purpose such as research, scholarship, parody, criticism, or journalism

Digital Millennium Copyright Act

A federal statute that addresses a number of copyright issues created by the use of new technology and the Internet including digital rights management (methods for stopping infringement), and certain rights and privileges (safe harbors) that protect Internet Service Providers.

Cease And Desist Letter

A letter from an intellectual property owner that requests that alleged illegal activity, such as copyright infringement, be stopped immediately.

Copyright Basics FAQ

What type of creative work does copyright protect?

EULA: What's an End User License Agreement?

Copyright owners, particularly software and website publishers, may want to limit how purchasers use their products and services.

Trademark Infringement: Do You Need an Attorney?

You have encountered another business that is using a name for its product or service that is identical or very similar to yours, and you feel you are losing customers and profits as a result.

Hiring a Trademark Attorney to Help Protect Your Brand

Who you hire depends on what you need to accomplish.

When You Don't Need Permission to Use Another Owner's Trademarks

A trademark is any word, photograph, or symbol that is used to identify specific products or services.

What Good Is an Unregistered Trademark?

An unregistered trademark is a mark that has not been registered at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (or at any of the state trademark offices).

Trade Secret Basics FAQ

Questions What types of information can trade secrets protect? What rights does the owner of a trade secret have? How can a business protect its trade secrets? How can a business enforce its rights if someone steals or improperly discloses confidential information? Is stealing trade secrets a crime?

Using Nondisclosure Agreements to Protect Business Trade Secrets

Nondisclosure agreements are one of the best methods for companies to protect valuable confidential information that businesses want to keep under wraps, known as "trade secrets."

Do You Own Invention Trade Secrets?

Trade secrets and patents differ greatly, but the ownership rules for them are basically the same.

Noncompete Agreements: How to Create an Agreement Your Business Can Enforce Against a Departing Employee

To avoid losing valuable employees (and trade secrets) to competitors, many employers require employees to sign noncompete agreements. Should your business require noncompetes of your employees, and will such agreements be enforceable in court?

Do You Need a Patent Attorney?

Many inventors believe that they must use a patent attorney to get a valid patent. This isn’t true.