What is intellectual property? How can our San Diego business attorneys register and protect intellectual property for your corporation or business?
Intellectual property is generally any creation of a human intellectual mind or creativity. For example, in business, we first think of a logo, brand, tagline or saying, song or jingle. Intellectual property (often simply referred to as “IP”) extends to scientific endeavors that result in patents, new compounds, manufacturing techniques, or even internal processes and unique strategies for operating a business or advertising it within a market. It can also apply to computer software or hardware, processes, unique recipes and original concepts that separate your business from the competition.
Protecting Your Business Trademark
A trademark is simply a symbol, word or words used to uniquely identify or associate with a company’s products or services. Trademarks must be researched to ensure their uniqueness and the ability to successfully register them. There are complex forms that must be submitted to the proper government entities, who research the application in turn. Once the government agency believes a trademark may be viable, it “publishes” the trademark for comments. After a period of weeks and in the absence of a challenge, the trademark will become official. Once a trademark is established you must protect it from infringement to preserve the integrity of the trademark and your rights to it.
Watkins Firm Business Attorneys Register and Protect Intellectual Property
Watkins Firm business attorneys register and protect intellectual property for our clients. We provide sound business counsel based upon 40+ years of experience serving the business, science and tech, real estate and medical / healthcare communities here in San Diego and across California.
The experienced intellectual property attorneys at the Watkins Firm work to research and confirm trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property. We manage every step of the process from the preparation of the application and submission, to defending the application from any challenges that might arise. Once we obtain a trademark or other intellectual property we manage that work against infringement. When we identify potential abuse or encroachment we take immediate legal action to ensure that the competitor or infringing party “ceases and desists” all use of your intellectual property.
Intellectual property can become a valuable tool when searching for ways to expand your company’s business opportunities. Licensing and distribution agreements are often based upon the use of IP to allow our clients to effectively reach and serve new vertical and geographical markets. The protections of these contracts protect the intellectual property you and your company have worked so hard to build, while expanding regional and even global opportunities to expand present business models.
If you would like to discuss having Watkins Firm business attorneys register and protect intellectual property or leveraging your IP such as your logo, brand, trade saying, or other products and services we invite you to review our podcast Episode 19 – Your Business Attorney is a Valuable Partner, as well as the strong recommendations of our clients and contact the Watkins Firm or call 858-535-1511 for a complimentary consultation today.
Intellectual property is a crucial part of the identity and value of your company. It must be properly registered and protected.
