Strategic Intellectual Property Planning

Intellectual property has become a key asset of all types of business. Maximizing the value of intellectual property, whether trademarks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets, domain names or personal attributes, is more complex as commerce expands and globalization connects markets and users internationally.

Whether in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, licenses, consent agreements, or structuring intellectual property holding companies, our attorneys provide clients with strategic counsel on the best ways to structure intellectual property ownership to maintain valid rights, while at the same time maximizing value and satisfying business and tax requirements.  We work with clients seeking to use intellectual property as collateral for loans or securitizations, and in situations in which a trademark's use will be split between unrelated business entities. In instances where trademarks are subject to long-term licenses, we help clients avoid inadvertent losses due to bankruptcy disaffirmance.  We conduct audits of our clients' intellectual property rights and perform due diligence investigations regarding the intellectual property issues involved in acquisitions and in secured financing transactions. 

In addition to being practitioners, our attorneys are respected teachers, authors and advisors who have served on committees that have drafted the current copyright, trademark and unfair competition laws. Because of our accumulated knowledge and experience in defining this changing area of the law, we approach problems from an advanced starting point. We do not have to learn at the client's expense.