Intellectual Property Advice

HOW TO PICK BRAND NAMES THAT MAKE YOUR BUSINESS MORE VALUABLE


It’s a story I have told for years: I had lunch with a new client.  He has some great technology, and a strong foundation for a new business.  And I faced the too-frequent dilemma when confronted by a lousy trademark he wanted to adopt. Do I tell him my actual opinion, or do I salute and earn the reward of helping him register a weak brand name that will impair the  [...]

My Reply to The Guy Who Asked: “WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU AND NOT LEGALZOOM?”


Most people aren’t afraid to invest in what they need, but few people want to learn later that they overpaid, or didn’t get a good value.  So even though it’s the first time I’ve been asked the question, I can understand why a careful entrepreneur would ask it.  He’s simply asking: “Please tell me why I’m not a sucker to pay you what seems like ten times what  [...]

SHOT Show Legal Prep Checklist


As we approach the SHOT Show, it’s important to get your legal ducks in a row, to be sure you aren’t losing valuable rights, or weakening the rights you already have.  Time is short so action may be urgent, but the action needed may be simpler, faster, and cheaper than you think. Pre-SHOT Patent Advice Preserve your patent rights.  The best NDA is a pending patent  [...]

HOW TO BE A SMART PATENT INVESTOR


The True Cost of Patent Protection, and an Ideal Tool to Make Even Smarter Patent Investment Decisions In response to the latest newsletter, one reader wrote me to ask about when it makes financial sense to invest in a patent: As an aside, an interesting article for a future Bulletproof newsletter might be a discussion of when a patent makes financial sense (and  [...]

HOW TO FIRE YOUR LAWYER


I'm taking a little risk with this month’s topic, considering that each and every one of my clients reads this newsletter, along with hundreds of firearms industry company owners and leaders.  But I'm willing to risk telling my clients just how, why, and when to change attorneys so that everyone can learn the benefits and the process of transitioning to the right attorney  [...]

HOW TO PROTECT “COOL”…


 TWO FAMILIAR WAYS TO PROTECT PRODUCT DESIGNS, PLUS A THIRD WAY YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF AND CAN UNDOUBTEDLY AFFORD. Everyone wants a patent. It’s perfectly logical to want to protect a new product.  Technical innovations help set you apart in a crowded marketplace and a patent prevents anyone else from offering your innovation for 20 years. But let’s be honest,  [...]