Intellectual property is more than just drafting patent applications or filing for trademark registrations.  IP counseling involves holistic advice about intellectual property based on the goals and objectives of the underlying business.  Intellectual property--whether patents, trademarks, copyrights, or trade secrets--exist in order to enable inventors, creators, and companies achieve their business objectives.  Dowd Scheffel offers sophisticated IP counsel so that our clients can succeed in a competitive business environment. We excel in providing strategic advice and counseling to small and large companies alike.  We are skilled in developing both defensive and offensive IP strategies, tailored to meet the specific business demands of our clients.  We have experience evaluating all aspects of proprietary technology such as performing due diligence, patent validity, infringement, and freedom-to-operate analyses. Additionally, we have extensive experience acquiring and enforcing patent rights worldwide and negotiating licenses and technology transfers.

 

Patents.  We do this work for our clients in the pharmaceutical industry (both branded and generic), the agricultural industry (primarily generic), animal health industry (primarily generic) and various other mechanical and engineering arts.  In the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and animal health industries we have the expertise to help clients navigate the intersection between federal regulations and IP law to assist them in charting a successful, efficient path forward. We provide a diverse range of procurement and portfolio management services including protection of utility, design, provisional and plant patents. Our attorneys work with clients to recognize protectable rights, draft applications, develop filing strategies, prosecute patent applications, and commercialize, protect and enforce patents.  We also have extensive experience in administrative appeals, interferences, petitions, protests, reissues and reexaminations.  

 

Trademarks and Copyrights.  Our trademark and copyright practice similarly focuses on strategic procurement and counseling with an eye toward the client’s commercial goals.  We can handle a diverse range of procurement and portfolio management services, including the protection and enforcement of trademarks, trade dress and copyrights. From the inception of a trademark, trade dress or copyright, we are committed to the protection, commercialization and enforcement of that IP. That is why we invest time and energy to understand each client’s business strategies and help them understand how IP fits. With that knowledge in hand, we assist our clients in selection, right-to-use evaluation, registration, assignment, maintenance, portfolio management and licensing.  We also counsel companies, manufacturers, software developers, publishers, and other business entities on how to protect their copyrighted works. We have experience drafting and negotiating agreements involving copyrighted works, including development agreements, services agreements, licenses and assignments. We are also experienced in bringing and defending opposition and cancellation proceedings in the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB).