Hovey Williams’s practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office includes patent and trademark prosecution, appeals, oppositions, cancellations, and interferences.
The firm has also appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court, regional Courts of Appeal, the Federal Circuit for patent cases, and state courts.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office defines “intellectual property” as: Creations of the mind – creative works or ideas embodied in a form that can be shared or can enable others to recreate, emulate, or manufacture them. There are four ways to protect intellectual property – patents, trademarks, copyrights, or trade secrets.
In every practice area, there are two basic functions that literally enable ingenuity to thrive: the “prosecution” – acquiring the protection, and the “enforcement” – protecting the innovation.
Our clients depend on us to help commercialize intellectual property. This process may include negotiation and drafting of licensing agreements, acquisition of intellectual property, and opinions about infringement issues.
These are the focus of Hovey Williams.
Patents Trademarks Copyrights Litigation
Can I apply for a patent or trademark on my own?
The patent application process is complex. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office cannot assist in the preparation of patent application papers. If you are ready to apply for a patent, we strongly advise you contact a registered patent attorney or agent. Although the USPTO cannot recommend any particular attorney or agent, it does maintain a roster of patent attorneys and agents registered to practice before the USPTO. Only registered attorneys and agents may help others to obtain patents.
If you are ready to apply to register your trademark, we strongly advise that you contact an attorney who is experienced in trademark prosecution. The USPTO does not maintain a roster of trademark attorneys. An attorney who is a member in good standing of a state bar association may prosecute your application for trademark registration. The USPTO cannot aid in the selection of an attorney and does not provide specific endorsements or recommendations of private attorneys.
