Protecting Your Intellectual Property (IP)

Intellectual Property (IP), in the literal sense, refers to the property of one’s intellect or mind. In terms of business, it is defined as one’s proprietary knowledge.

Protect Your Creativity

As an entrepreneur, you are undoubtedly blessed with the ability to come up with new ideas for products and services. Sometimes, a competitor comes up with a similar idea and manages to make money out of it before you do. A great deal of planning, money, time and effort are required to turn these ideas into invention and innovation.

Trademarks: When and How to Search and File Trademark Applications

A trademark can be any word, slogan, design, symbol, or even a color, smell, product configuration or a combination of these, used to identify the source of origin of particular goods and services. The trademark serves as a source identifier of your goods and services, to distinguish it from the goods and services of others.

Intellectual Property Considerations

Intellectual Property is one of the hardest things to protect. If you file a patent it becomes public information and if someone copies it and changes one thing, they basically stole your idea for free then it is your duty to try to sue them; that costs you thousands.

Intellectual Property: Patents – Drafting with Reasonable Care and Skill

In the case of Unilin Beheer BV v Berry Floor NV and Ors, Information Management Consultancy Ltd, B&Q plc (2005), the courts ruled that the faulty drafting of a patent application did not amount to lack of reasonable care and skill. Unilin, the claimant, applied for a patent for a floor covering and the application succeeded. Unilin then became aware of prior art which made it necessary for it to amend the patent application by reducing the scope of the main claim. Unilin also amended the body of the specification so that the text and drawings conformed to the main claim. After grant of the patent, Unilin sued three defendants for patent infringement. The defendants counterclaimed, arguing that a piece of prior art (Yoichi) had not been cited against the patent. On 26 September 2003, the court held that Claims 1-19 of the patent were invalid in respect of the prior art Yoichi but Claims 20 and 21 were valid and infringed by the defendant. Unilin claimed damages for past infringements and costs.

Intellectual Property

Intellectual property (IP) is a valuable asset to companies in the biotech, life sciences, healthcare, medical technology and related industries. Utility patents are often the most valuable IP belonging to small and emerging companies.

Intellectual Property Law: Community Trade Marks - Registration - Grounds for Refusal

In the case of CeWe Color AG and Co v Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (T-178/03 and T-179/03), the Court of First Instance rejected CeWe's trade mark applications on the grounds that the marks were merely descriptive and lacked distinctiveness.

Probate Attorneys - Sometimes A Specialist is Really Needed

Attorneys can be very useful in times of bereavement. Probate complexities can be overwhelming to a grieving survivor, and lawyers trained in dealing with such complexities can be instrumental in getting through such a time. Let's explore the ways in which hiring a probate attorney can be beneficial to the family -- even prior to passing on.

Introduction to Estate Planning

Estate planning is the creation of a comprehensive financial plan to provide for your spouse and heirs upon your passing.

Living Wills in Kentucky

If you become unconscious or too ill to communicate your own medical care decisions then the staff will follow your living will, which gives you a voice in the type of treatment you want. As long as you are able to express your own decisions, your living will cannot be used and you can verbally refuse or accept any medical treatment you want.

A Model Not To Live By - The Last Will And Testament

If ever anyone served as a model for having a last will and testament, it has to have been Anna Nicole Smith.

Advance Health Directive: The Living Will and The Power of Attorney

A living will, also called will to live, is one type of advanced health edict, or advanced health care principle. It often goes along with a specific type of power of attorney or health care alternative. These are legal tools that are usually witnessed or notarized.

Why Do You Need A Living Trust

What is a living trust, and why you should consider creating one.

Why Should I Write A Will?

If you die without a Will (and statistics suggest that about 70% of UK citizens either have no Will, or that the Will they have is out of date or inadequate) those you leave behind will have a difficult time of it! A bereavement brings with it enough emotional and practical problems of its own to have financial and legal ones added to it.

Have Your Parents Planned Their Estate For Your Protection?

When your parents die, you are the one who will be responsible for taking care of everything they leave behind. There are steps you can take today to make sure that it will be as easy for you as possible and that what you inherit will be as protected as possible.