Patent lawyers offer a competitive edge? We could say we told you so but we won’t! An article posted on February 8, 2010 on The KansasCity.com website has said it for us. Su Bacon reports how patent law demands the best of the best. According to statistics in the article, of over 750,000 practicing attorneys nationwide, only 29,000 specialize in patent law. She quotes one professor of law as saying “To get a patent, your science has to be at the forefront, on the frontier of science and technology. You need an attorney who understands new technology”.
These legal experts must earn both law degrees and undergraduate degrees in science or engineering. A quick look at the range of topics here in the Patents.com Community Blog or in search results using our invention database shows a mind-numbing range of examples of innovative intellectual property; our blog posts range from Inca lilies to diabetes medication testing.
But there’s more… Bacon reports that even after acquiring a patent, intellectual property rights “are still vulnerable”. She reports yet another patent attorney as saying that loss of patent rights is loss of a company’s “competitive edge” and potential profits; she says they lose their exclusive rights to their intellectual property (IP). So often we have reminded our readers to seek the assistance of experienced practitioners who can help research and file their patents as well as assist in the negotiation of business ventures involving IP.
Bacon tells her readers that “infringement of patent protection also can be grounds for lawsuits”. In these slower economic times, she quotes sources as warning of the increased frequency of patent-related lawsuits and sometimes costly but often frivolous litigation intended to derail marketing efforts and sales programs.
There’s more to just inventing, manufacturing and marketing the next hula hoop! Be prepared for competition in local and global markets. Protect your IP rights when you commercialize your innovative ideas, methods, and inventions. Join the Patents.com community and learn more about our online features, forums, services, and free patent database information.
Source: KansasCity.com
