Understanding how intellectual property (IP) can be used, protected and optimized is critical when competing for business and operating on a global scale.
Stradley Ronon’s IP attorneys analyze IP issues and draft legal opinions regarding patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and other forms of IP, advising on the full range of issues our clients face. Our IP practice includes former engineers and scientists, attorneys with advanced technical degrees and lawyers who served as in-house counsel at businesses highly reliant on IP. This combination of experience enables us to readily understand, leverage and protect client innovations, recognize licensing opportunities, maximize IP portfolio potential, and assist in devising effective business and marketing strategies and infringement protections.
Comprehensive Service
We counsel clients throughout the life cycle of their innovations, from idea development through IP portfolio management, providing infringement analysis, evaluating licensing arrangements, conducting due diligence investigations, resolving disputes and engaging in strategic enforcement efforts, including the use of reexaminations, interpartes reviews and reissues.
Our IP practice group regularly offers counsel and provides opinions regarding such issues as:
- patent claim construction, prosecution, infringement, right to use, misuse, patentability, validity and enforceability, as well as design-around issues
- trademark availability, prosecution, right to register, infringement, right to use, misuse, unfair competition, dilution, domain name protection and other Internet considerations
- copyright availability, registration, duration, ownership and protection, infringement, fair use and Internet-related issues
- trade secret status, ownership, permissible disclosures, protections and uses, as well as practices and protocols to preserve trade secret status, prevent misappropriation and safeguard proprietary information
- licensing options, rights and restrictions
- import and export controls and foreign and domestic filing strategies
- IP portfolio strength, scope, development and management
Offering Guidance Through Opinions
When issuing opinions, we begin with a due diligence investigation, collecting the evidence, evaluating the facts and determining what is relevant. We then consider the law, apply it to the facts and arrive at an opinion. Knowing that our clients rely on our opinions when making business decisions, we work closely with client contacts to understand their goals and then evaluate the facts, the law and the overall situation. We take care to clearly convey what we discover, explaining the legal principles and providing a detailed analysis and a clearly stated conclusion. Beyond issuing an opinion, we diligently address issues that arise after the initial opinion. When the law or underlying facts change, we update our opinion to reflect the changed circumstances. We also provide further guidance when needed to make certain that the opinion is properly incorporated into our clients’ business strategy. In instances when an opinion becomes evidence in subsequent litigation, we have been deposed and have served as witnesses at trials regarding such evidence.
Proactive Counsel
Stradley Ronon IP attorneys work proactively with clients, assessing infringement risks and advising on IP portfolio building, leveraging of IP assets and licensing issues. Additionally, we advise on IP issues in the context of business transactions and dealings, including joint ventures, government funding, supply and requirements contracts, financing arrangements, mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, codevelopment and other collaborative arrangements. Our attorneys regularly exchange information and ideas with clients, ensuring that they understand the nature of the opinion and the best course of action.