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Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law
Are your most important assets protected? Whether your business is small or large, your intellectual property – including business identity, brand names, product ideas and process improvements – are most likely central to your continued success. If they are not patented or trademarked, your company's future may be in jeopardy.
Acquiring Protection for Your Intellectual Property
The first step in protecting your assets is determining whether they are eligible to be patented or trademarked. Stephens Juren, PLLC can do the research necessary to advise you.
As practicing patent and trademark attorneys since 2001, we know what questions to ask and what forms to file. Most importantly we are registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a requirement for patent and trademark prosecution.
Why Patents are Important
If you have developed a new product or process – or even in incremental improvement on a product or process – you don’t own it until you have patented it. Stephens Juren, PLLC can help you apply for a patent, which will assert your ownership and entitle you to action against anyone who misappropriates your property.
What is Eligible for Patent Protection?
Patentable items are those that are new, useful, non-obvious and fit into one of these categories:
- Methods or processes
- Machines and mechanical devices
- Manufactured items
- Chemical and biological compositions
- Living organisms
If your item matches this description, contact us and we will be happy to review it for eligibility.
Why Trademarks are Important
Your business name and logo, product branding, and marketing taglines are among the assets that can be hijacked – knowingly or unknowingly – unless they are trademarked. We can help you acquire trademark protection (indicated by the familiar ® symbol) that will confer on you legal ownership of these valuable properties and the right to sue infringers.
What Qualifies as a Trademark?
A trademark is a word, symbol, design, combination of letters or numbers or other device that identifies and distinguishes products and services in the marketplace. But there are many exceptions to what qualifies as a trademark. That is why you need an experienced patent and trademark attorney to advise you and manage the application process. Contact Stephens Juren, PLLC to learn whether you can apply for a trademark and how to do so.
Copyright Law
Copyrights protect art in a tangible (physical) medium. Copyrights can protect: (1) literary works; (2) musical works, including any accompanying words; (3) dramatic works, including any accompanying music; (4) pantomimes and choreographic works; (5) pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works; (6) motion pictures and other audiovisual works; (7) sound recordings; and (8) architectural works.