Intellectual PropertyOverviewIn today’s rapidly changing market, you need an intellectual property team that will enhance and safeguard your competitive position. Michael Best’s internationally recognized IP practice offers three key advantages: we know your business; we understand your technology; and we have the skills to help you strategically develop, manage, and protect your intellectual assets. With more than 150 lawyers and IP professionals—including more than 25 patent engineers, scientists, and registered agents—our IP group provides the full range of legal services related to all aspects of IP. Our professionals practice on the national and global stages in trademark, patent, and copyright law, including prosecution, portfolio management, enforcement, clearance, defense, and litigation.
Many of our lawyers have advanced degrees and business experience in areas like computer science, engineering, physics, chemistry, and biotechnology. A significant number have served as examiners in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), giving us a valuable perspective on patent and trademark issues.
Our Approach
When approaching a new matter, we start by familiarizing ourselves with your short- and long-term business goals. What are you hoping to achieve by licensing or protecting this IP asset? Is the project global or limited to a particular territory? What are your financial expectations and budgetary constraints? How does it fit into the overall portfolio strategy?
Armed with this knowledge, we create and implement programs designed to increase the value of your IP assets while minimizing downside risk. Our approach is balanced but aggressive, and it has produced an exceptional record of success.
Service Areas
Patent
Helping clients strategically manage their patent portfolios, including preparing and prosecuting patent applications; analyzing patentability, invalidity, and infringement issues; advising on the design and development of new technologies and products; dispute resolution; and negotiating patent licensing and technology transfer agreements.
Trademark
Assisting with the full range of trademark matters, including trademark counseling and prosecution, advertisement and promotions, domain names and Internet issues, and trademark enforcement and litigation.
Copyright
Counseling on copyright registration and protection strategies; use of third-party copyrighted works; acquisition, disposition, and licensing of copyrighted works; and litigation.
Enforcement, Clearance & Defense
Representing clients in enforcement, clearance, and defense proceedings in federal and appellate courts, and before agencies such as the PTO and its Appeal Boards. Our work encompasses patent, trademark, trade dress, copyright, trade secret, Internet, and false advertising issues.
Post-Grant
Navigating clients through post-grant patent issues including inter partes review (IPR), covered business method review (CBM), and post-grant review (PGR) proceedings.
Best LuminEdge
Analyzing a company’s IP assets to reveal the true value—and provide essential intelligence about the competitive landscape. Our proprietary Best LuminEdge system goes beyond basic IP due diligence, combining patented data analytics tools with the depth of our top-ranked professional team. We provide action-oriented advice and help companies see the big picture. Whether you’re evaluating a potential investment target, doing strategic planning, or looking to better manage your IP portfolio, Best LuminEdge can help.
Privacy & Cybersecurity
Advising clients on all aspects of privacy and cybersecurity, from reviewing contract provisions to creating companywide privacy policies and evaluating regulatory compliance; defending government or civil actions involving a wide range of regulatory schemes; and counseling on privacy or data breach incidents.
Industry Focus
Higher Education
Providing comprehensive service to higher education clients, including strategic IP advice on academic research as a funding source, patent protection, commercializing inventions and advancements, technology licensing, and portfolio management. Our Higher Education group also advises academic institutions across the U.S. in areas such as employment, real estate, environmental, student law, restructuring, governance, and finance.
Life Sciences
Providing the full spectrum of legal services to clients across the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, chemical, agricultural, and medical device industries. Our Life Sciences group includes attorneys who practice in intellectual property, transactional, FDA regulatory, healthcare, litigation, and other areas of law. Many of our IP practitioners have advanced degrees and research experience in disciplines such as chemistry, chemical engineering, molecular biology, biochemistry, biomedical engineering, and materials science.
Aerospace & Defense
Advising on a range of legal and business strategies for aerospace and defense clients, including IP protection and commercialization. Our Aerospace & Defense team offers clients a powerful set of resources. With Michael Best, you’ll have access to tech-savvy IP lawyers, specialists in AI and autonomous technologies, government procurement experts, and more.
Manufacturing
Proactive, strategic legal counsel to facilitate the seamless development, production, distribution, and protection of our manufacturing clients’ products. Whether you’re negotiating a contract, moving an idea through the patent process, seeking financing, training employees, updating your technology, or defending litigation, Michael Best’s Manufacturing team can apply the well-coordinated effort you need. Our IP team works with all types of manufacturing and related technologies.
Unmanned Technology
Assisting clients in achieving their business goals by providing a comprehensive set of services around autonomous technologies. Michael Best’s Unmanned Technology team serves the diverse needs of the fast-growing autonomous vehicles industry. Our IP professionals have extensive experience with autonomous, AI, and wireless technologies, as well as trademark, branding, and advertising law.
Related People Preview Attorney's BiographyThomas is a trademark attorney in the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. His practice focuses on the acquisition, enforcement, and litigation of intellectual property rights, particularly related to trademarks and copyrights, both domestically and internationally.  Preview Attorney's BiographyMasroor is an associate in the firm’s Intellectual Property practice. With an extensive background in engineering, he brings a technical perspective to obtaining patent protection for U.S. and international clients, ensuring thorough and innovative solutions. Masroor’s experience bridges the gap between complex technical concepts and effective IP solutions for mechanical and manufacturing clients.While pursuing his law degree, Masroor worked as a Research Assistant for Professors Bru ...  Preview Attorney's BiographyKathryn is a Patent Engineer who assists clients in drafting, preparing, and prosecuting patent applications with a focus on electrical innovations. She leverages her engineering and math experience to help Michael Best attorneys secure strong patent protection for clients’ intellectual property.While pursuing her degree, Kathryn served as the Lead Facilitator of the Calculus II Scholarship Enrichment Program. She also worked as a Student Assistant in Research and Development for the South ... Kathryn L. Aing* *Names that appear with an asterisk indicate a Michael Best professional not admitted to practice law.  Preview Attorney's BiographyTara focuses her practice on intellectual property matters, specifically in the area of mechanical patent preparation and prosecution in the U.S. and around the globe. She has worked with a diverse range of technologies including power tools, water filtration systems, submersible pumps, underground and surface mining machines, vacuum cleaners, and lighting fixtures, among others.In her prior role at Michael Best as a Patent Engineer, Tara gained experience drafting design and utility patent appl ...  Preview Attorney's BiographyScott is an experienced intellectual property attorney whose practice focuses on software, electronics, internet, medical device, telecommunications, cloud computing, financial, and semiconductor technologies.  Preview Attorney's BiographyLouise focuses her practice on all aspects of brand protection including trademark, copyright, advertising, and Internet law. Louise manages global trademark portfolios and counsels clients on trademark clearance, prosecution, maintenance, and enforcement, including opposition and cancellation proceedings before the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.  Preview Attorney's BiographyClients look to Brent for help obtaining patent protection for their innovations as well as avoiding infringement of competitors’ products.  Preview Attorney's BiographyChris is a partner focusing his intellectual property practice on domestic and international patent matters relating to mechanical, electro-mechanical, medical, materials science, software, and business method technologies. He also helps clients acquire and enforce United States and foreign trademark rights, copyrights and trade secrets, negotiates intellectual property licenses and technology transfers, and prepares patentability and non-infringement opinions. His work applies strategic planning to intellectual property protection to help clients achieve their business goals. Aleksandra N. Baker* *Names that appear with an asterisk indicate a Michael Best professional not admitted to practice law.
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