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How IP Rights Can Be Waived to Fight the COVID-19 Pandemic

Moderna, a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, recently issued a statement that it wouldn’t enforce its COVID-19-related patents against other companies making vaccines to fight the virus. The company “is a pioneer in the dev… Read More
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Categories: Patents
Bill Murray

Cease-and-Desist Letters: How to Protect Your Brand without Alienating Customers

As Fortune reported, “Actor Bill Murray is in hot water with the Doobie Brothers for using their 1972 hit “Listen to the Music” in commercials without the band’s permission. Normally, such disputes result in a quiet legal sett… Read More
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Categories: Copyright
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Protecting Recipes and Food as Intellectual Property

If you’re involved in the food service industry, how can you protect your business from unauthorized copying of your recipes and food? Are those things even protectable? Trade Secrets As we discussed in this recent blog, one way to protect confiden… Read More
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Court Finds that Trade “Secrets” Aren’t Secret on Zoom Call

Trade secrets are a form of intellectual property that the law protects from unauthorized use or disclosure, under certain conditions. Trade secrets can be protected by both state and federal law. These laws vary, but all define trade secrets as info… Read More
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Categories: Trade Secrets
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Protecting Your Right to File a Patent during the Pandemic

A patent declaration is a short statement that each inventor listed on a patent application must sign, representing that she or he is the original inventor of the invention listed in the application. This is a statement that the so-called inventor di… Read More
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Categories: Patents
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Stopping Dangerous Counterfeit Goods in the COVID-19 Era

Counterfeit COVID-19 products endanger health and hurt US companies. A stalled Senate bill could stop more fakes from getting in. Read More
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Categories: Patents, Trademarks
Paris Convention Member Countries

International Treaties: Filing for Patents in Multiple Countries

Filing a patent application in multiple countries can be time consuming and difficult. To avoid the hassle of duplicative filings to obtain patents in multiple countries, international treaties have been established over the years. In a prior blog po… Read More
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Categories: Patents
A man holding light bulb on a lock and chain.

What “Patent Pending” Means for Your Business

“Patent Pending” is a term used for products or processes where a patent application has been filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), but a patent has not yet been granted. It serves to notify the public, businesse… Read More
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Categories: Patents
International Connectivity

Where to File Your Patent Application First: The U.S. or Overseas

If you plan to file for a patent both in the United States and in another country, planning ahead and thinking strategically will help you avoid pitfalls down the road. You will need to follow United States law on filing for patent protection, but yo… Read More
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Categories: Patents
keep it simple written in the sand at the beach

Beware of the Background Section in a Patent Application

The Background section of a patent application should be short and to the point. Anything that you say in the Background can and will be used against you when you prosecute or enforce your patent. The Manual of Patent Examination and Procedure recomm… Read More
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Categories: Patents