Southwest Michigan Attorneys Providing Patent Law and Intellectual Property Services
For high tech and other businesses, artists and individual inventors, intellectual property is the foundation of success. All businesses should identify, evaluate, and protect its valuable
intellectual property. At Willis Law, we use a variety of strategies to protect our clients' intellectual property - internal policies, contracts, registration, and effective responses to infringement.
From convenient offices in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Paw Paw,
Michigan, Willis Law works with both individuals and businesses in a variety of industries to protect their patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and intellectual property licensing rights.
If you have an intellectual property concern that affects your bottom line, our attorneys can provide efficient, cost effective legal
services to proactively protect or defend your rights. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Obtaining and Protecting Patents
In the United States, patents are obtained through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). A patent can be granted for a novel, non-obvious, useful invention, product, process or concept.
Depending on your invention, and sometimes other factors, different types of patent applications may be available. Your invention may be suited for a utility patent application (both regular or provisional patent applications), or, if your invention is only the ornamental appearance of an object, then a design patent may be
appropriate. A United States utility patent grants you unlimited rights to make, use, sell, offer for sale, or import your invention for 20 years in the United States. A design patent offers the same rights, but for 14 years after it issues.
Our attorneys have practiced patent law for many years. We understand how the patent process works and can perform patent searches, prepare patent opinions and prosecute your patent
application from beginning to end.
Unlike some firms who only file patent applications with the Patent and Trademark Office, we can also enforce or defend your patent rights in court. If you have experienced or are facing allegations of patent infringement, we are experienced trial
lawyers who can protect your interests in court.
Protection of Copyrights and Trademarks or Servicemarks
A trademark or servicemark promotes your business's brand by protecting your logo or graphic icon, marketing phrases, and certain other materials. Copyrights protect unique creative work such as marketing materials, information on Web sites, and other written works
for both businesses and creative professionals.
You may have heard that your copyrights and trademarks are automatically conferred upon the creators or owners of such work, so you do not need to register them. However, a plaintiff in a copyright infringement case cannot file suit in
Federal Court unless the work is registered with the United States Copyright Office. Also, filing your trademark or servicemark with the United States Trademark Office confers certain rights to obtain or enforce your mark. We can help you register this important intellectual property and develop systems and policies to protect them.
Copyright and Trademark Infringement
Trademark and copyright infringement are becoming more common, especially as the Internet grows. If you have discovered infringement of your copyright or trademark - or if someone has alleged that you are infringing upon their intellectual property rights - Willis Law is well prepared to protect your interests.
We Want to See You Succeed and Grow
At Willis Law, we strive to
make quality intellectual property representation affordable. We like to think of ourselves as partners in your business, because when you succeed, we succeed.
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