Intellectual Property Lawyers & Attorneys - Priori

Types of Intellectual Property

Almost every business owns intellectual property rights, and it is imperative to take formal steps to protect your intellectual property against unauthorized use. That is where intellectual property law comes in. Your intellectual property is a creative work or invention to which you have defined intellectual property rights. Intellectual property can include your original work, your ideas, your inventions, your writing, and many other aspects of your business, each of which require different types of protections under intellectual property law. Strong intellectual property protection gives your company a significant strategic advantage and helps you capitalize on your brand recognition and ideas. A lawyer can help you identify what types of intellectual property you can protect and can help you create a plan to protect your intellectual property rights.

At Priori, we are committed to helping you protect the very heart of your business: your intellectual property. Failing to put adequate safeguards in place can, very literally, mean giving away the store.

A trademark protects a symbol, design, phrase, word or combination of these things that distinguish your brand. Trademarks can be registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) -- which puts others on notice of your rights and gives you a federal cause of action if anyone infringes on it. 

A copyright is an exclusive legal right to the use and distribution of an original work of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. A copyright exists from the moment of creation; however, you may need to register a copyright if you want to bring a lawsuit for infringement. 

A patent protects inventions or discoveries of any new process, machine, manufacture or composition of matter. Patents are also registered with the USPTO to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, selling, or importing the invention in the U.S. 

A license is a contract that allows a licensee to pay a fee or royalty to use the intellectual property rights of a licensor. These agreements are often used if you would like to use the protected property of another company, or vice versa. 

Trade secrets include your company’s formulas, practices, processes or compilations of information. A lawyer can help you implement internal processes to protect your trade secrets and represent you in the case of inadvertent or intentional disclosure. In order to qualify as a trade secret, information must meet three requirements. 

  1. They are not easily known to the public
  2. They provide an economic advantage
  3. Your business makes a reasonable effort to keep them secret

If any of the rights previously described are infringed upon, the violation may result in lengthy and expensive litigation. Whether you have been accused of infringement or discover that someone has infringed upon your company’s property, a skilled attorney can help you address a lawsuit. Learn more about how a Priori Litigation lawyer can help your business >>

How To Decide Which Strategy is Right for You?

Pursuing the correct form of protection for your intellectual property is a critical decision that will shape the success of your business. As you’re deciding on the perfect phrase for your marketing materials or getting that last line of code to work in your amazing new project, IP protection is a key step. Protecting your ideas and brand will reduce your exposure to infringement and promote the longevity of your business. Working with an excellent IP attorney can demystify the application process and make sure you are protected from the beginning. This will save you time and money, so you can focus on what matters most: your business.

Get started by telling us a little bit about your legal needs and a member of our team will begin working on your matchmaking process.