Intellectual Property Portfolio Management

Whether your business is large or small, and no matter what industry you are in, a well-considered intellectual property strategy is a 21st century business necessity.  The strategy must be supportive of the overall goals of the business, both domestic and global, and must be implemented with a realistic budget, and managed with executive-level authority and accountability.

Successful implementation of a company’s IP strategy depends heavily on skilled monitoring, managing, and event reporting for each national and international IP asset in the portfolio.  Even if there are only a few intellectual property assets to be managed, a clear understanding of the legal deadlines and procedures for each case is required, as well as the ability to balance the costs, risks, and benefits associated with each management decision.  And there must be an ability to update and execute the IP strategy in harmony with ever-evolving business plans and goals.  Outsourcing the management of an IP docket to the skilled staff at Maine Cernota & Curran, and drawing upon the experience of its registered patent attorneys to interpret, advise, and execute the substantive requirements of applications and registrations, can significantly improve the quality, value, and sustainability of your IP portfolio, both domestically and abroad.

Many clients find it important to promote a company-wide awareness of the importance of its intellectual property assets, and of every employee’s duty to protect it. Maine Cernota & Curran is often called upon to provide presentations to employee groups that are central to the creation, exploitation, and protection of its intellectual property. In addition, our attorneys often provide services and/or support for in-house counsel regarding such matters as IP strategic planning, docket management, trade secret protection, escrow agreements, valuation of IP assets, IP-derived revenue streams, employment agreements affecting IP rights, IP purchase and sale agreements, due diligence reviews, licensing, acquisitions and divestitures, pre-litigation support to in-house and third party counsel, and conflict resolution.

Maine Cernota & Curran is staffed with expert paralegals, and employs contemporary business systems and specialized software applications for reliable docket and data management. Applications for patents and trademarks are filed electronically with the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office whenever possible. Clients are kept up to date on every substantive change in each of their cases. Specialized monitoring services can also be provided, along with comprehensive docket reports when required.  Through our extensive network of international patent firms, we are able to provide a full range of global as well as domestic IP services.

The selection of an intellectual property law firm is an important business decision.  The chosen firm should be “right-sized,” such that it is sufficiently large, well-organized, and experienced to provide a full range of high-quality services that can grow and expand with your IP needs, while at the same time remaining cost-efficient, without the bloat and waste of very large firms that maintain multiple legal divisions in high rise offices located in multiple urban centers.  Maine, Cernota, & Curran has been focused exclusively on IP law for more than 20 years, and has a well-proven ability to meet the needs of its clients.  We serve clients throughout the country and throughout the world from our single location in Nashua, and we are large enough to provide a full range of high quality services, while remaining small enough to be cost efficient and adaptable to individual client needs.

Of course, a strong IP portfolio is of little value if it cannot be enforced.  Maine, Cernota, and Curran has developed an effective process for identifying patents that are likely to be infringed, finding potential infringers, and working with third parties and inside counsel to obtain litigation financing and successfully enforce and monetize IP assets, often with only minimal cost and modest time investments required from our clients.

Factors that are important to a successful client-firm relationship include the law firm’s understanding of the client’s technology and business objectives; the level of the client’s commitment to an IP strategy; the ease with which the attorney/client interface occurs; the level of trust required on both sides; the quality of attorney work product and the timeliness of reports; the manner of billing and reporting and the perceived value in the work billed; the willingness of both parties to discuss their respective concerns and objectives; and the flexibility of the firm to adapt and respond. These are all valid issues that should be discussed at the interview stage. The “fit” must feel right from the start.

For a more detailed description of MCC’s capabilities and the manner in which we conduct our practice, or to arrange an opportunity to meet with one of our attorneys for an initial consultation with no obligation, please feel free to contact us by email or phone at any time.