Why request to divide a trademark application?
What is a request to divide a trademark application? We tend to think of trademark applications as “all or nothing.” In particular, we think of…
The Largest Free Patent and Trademark Q&A Resource: 550+ Posts on IP
How can the Collaborative Search Pilot Program (CSP) help US cross-filers in Japan or S. Korea?
What is CSP*? Typically, most folks applying for utility patents desire the path of least resistance, meaning fewer rejections and less prior art cited. So,…
The Art of Persuasion: How to persuade IP examiners
Why is persuasion necessary? If you’re going to be an IP attorney, you must be able to persuade. There is no way around it. Whether…
What is a patent Fast-Track Appeal?
What is a Fast-Track Appeal? Appealing a rejected patent application can take years. Normally, an appeal to the PTAB would be taken up for decision…
How to save clients money (while making money)
Is it possible to save clients money and earn more? It seems paradoxical to earn more by saving clients money. As IP attorneys, we practice…
Billable hour vs. flat rates
How clients perceive hourly billing versus flat rates When I started practicing IP law back in the last millennium, hourly billing was the standard for…
IP Networking: What works for introverts like me
IP networking for introverts Have you ever attended a large networking event and felt like you lost a couple hours of your life that you’ll…
How can we help each other?
Helping younger IP professionals and practitioners I’m starting a new series of posts dedicated to helping IP professionals. My hope is that these articles will…
How to Challenge Patents: Affordable Ways to Respond to Infringement Claims
What are affordable ways to challenge patents? As a patent attorney, it is my job not only to protect innovation, but also to facilitate fair…
Got Moat?
Why economic moat is good for startups It’s a competitive world out there. In any area of business that appears profitable, competition seems only to…
What is a generic mark?
What is a generic mark? A generic mark is a word understood by the public as the common term for a product or service. For…
PCT Bypass: Another way to enter US?
Is national stage the only way a PCT application can enter the US? No, an alternative option to enter the US from a PCT application…
Patent drawings: What you need to know
What is the purpose of utility patent drawings? We all (should) know that the figures, i.e., patent drawings, do not define the claimed invention in…
What a USPTO patent examiner really thinks
Thinking like a patent examiner We are privileged to have a former USPTO patent examiner, Lyman Smith, as Of Counsel patent attorney to our firm.…
What are differences between patents and trademarks?
How are patents and trademarks different? The goal of this article is to provide a helpful summary of differences between patents and trademarks that will…
