Intellectual Property Report

Articles

IP Due Diligence: The Importance Of Correctly Naming The Inventors

Guy F. Birkenmeier

One of the first questions to explore in any technology transaction is who owns the intellectual property under consideration. The simplicity of this question, however, belies its profound importance to the proposed transaction: a grantor must first own rights to an invention before it can convey those rights to another. It also belies the potential complexity of the due diligence analysis that may be required. Read more...

PRO-IP Act Looks To Strengthen Trademark And Copyright Law

Suzanne M. Hengl

As the value and importance of intellectual property increases in the global economy, so too must the vigilance of intellectual property owners in protecting such assets, particularly against counterfeiters who cause billions of dollars worth of damage to American businesses. Over the past several years the United States has assisted intellectual property owners by stepping up efforts to combat counterfeiting both in the United States and abroad with initiatives such as the Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy and the Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act, which expanded criminal sanctions against counterfeiters. Read more...