Trade Secret and the Prior Use Defense
May 14, 2014
Like many companies and inventors, you might choose to forego patent protection and instead rely upon trade secret protection. There are some wrinkles to trade secret protection that should be kept in mind when making that choice. Trade secret is a perfectly legitimate approach to consider,…
Read MoreHow much does a patent application cost?
May 06, 2014
This is often the first question we get from prospective clients. There is no question that writing and filing a patent application – properly – is expensive. Anyone that explores the possibility of seeking patent protection should be realistic about the timelines and the cost. The preparation…
Read MoreSame trade-mark and similar goods? No problem if sold through different channels of trade
January 15, 2014
This case illustrates the potential advantages of explicitly excluding certain goods from your trade-mark application. Let’s suppose you are a tire manufacturer with the registered mark POTENZA for “tires, tubes and wheels” that you have held for 30 years. A high-end Italian bicycle…
Read More2014: The US Supreme Court wrestles with patents
January 14, 2014
Over the past few years, IP has been in the spotlight south of the border. It seems that not a day goes by without a patent, trade-mark or copyright story in the popular press (e.g. see smartphone wars). Changes in the law have also been coming at a fast pace. Witness the US implementation…
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