Intellectual Property and Technology
Developing intellectual property (IP) – and knowing how to protect it – is a competitive cornerstone in today’s complex marketplace. Changes in the legal and political landscape of intellectual property worldwide present a challenge to manufacturers and designers, their customers, licensors, and licensees.
The IP attorneys at McKenna Long & Aldridge (MLA) apply legal knowledge, technical savvy and business acumen to help clients leverage these changes and strategically create, manage and benefit from their IP assets. To ensure optimal protection and exploitation of valuable intellectual property and technology rights, we represent our clients in litigation matters in all forums, including before all United States (U.S.) federal courts, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), and the International Trade Commission (ITC). In addition, we prepare and prosecute patent and trademark applications throughout the world, and we routinely handle reexamination proceedings. Our IP practice also regularly prepares validity, infringement, and right-to-use opinions, as well as registrability opinions. We also counsel and negotiate license and distribution agreements affecting intellectual property and technology rights.
Currently, MLA’s IP practice features more than 50 IP attorneys, patent litigators, and patent agents. The firm serves a wide range of companies from startups to multinational conglomerates in matters throughout the world. MLA handles thousands of patent and trademark matters worldwide.
Whether litigating IP cases, preparing and prosecuting patent and trademark applications, or providing proactive counsel to best position our clients, MLA’s IP attorneys are supported by leading-edge litigation support tools and experienced staff working together to provide high-quality, cost-effective client service.
Our services include:
- Global Patent Litigation - MLA’s patent litigation team has earned top 10 IP verdicts in U.S. jury trials. The firm counsels clients on the availability of patent protection, prosecution and defense of clients’ rights in disputes of infringement or misappropriation, and litigation in all areas of intellectual property with particular emphasis on patent infringement matters.
- Patent Prosecution - MLA works closely with its clients to develop effective patent strategies, using our expertise and know-how to protect our clients’ IP assets. Our attorneys provide a wide range of patent prosecution related services to clients including: preparation, filing, and prosecution of applications here and abroad; administrative appeals; interferences; petitions and protests; and reexamination matters.
- International Trade - Our attorneys have a long history of practice before the ITC covering a wide variety of international trade and intellectual property Section 337 actions. We have several attorneys with significant experience both working at the ITC and practicing before the ITC.
- IP Transactions - Our attorneys advise clients regarding the acquisition, disposition, and commercialization of intellectual property assets through a variety of means, including commercial transactions, licensing (both in-bound and out-bound), joint ventures, and joint development. MLA’s IP practice has wide-ranging experience with the interaction of intellectual property issues and business projects.
- Trademarks - Our core trademark legal services include domestic and foreign trademark searches and prosecution of applications, all post-registration maintenance and recordation of assignments, and domestic and foreign prosecution and defense of opposition and cancellation proceedings before the courts and the TTAB and its foreign country equivalents.
- Copyrights - In addition to working with our clients to plan for maximum copyright protection and to register copyrights in the U.S. and other countries, our attorneys also represent clients in litigation matters involving copyright issues.
- Trade Secrets - We also have vast experience handling a wide array of trade secrets issues, from developing internal procedures and security measures for our clients to all aspects of trade secrets litigation to the evaluation and transfer of trade secrets in mergers and acquisitions.
- IP Rights and Technical Data - Our Intellectual Property and Government Contracts practices regularly team to counsel on and litigate issues of ownership and licensing of intellectual property rights under federal government contracts and subcontracts.