Nguyen & Tarbet represents and acquires patents for a broad base of U.S. and international companies, universities and independent inventors. Our attorneys have extensive and successful patent prosecution record for developing and protecting intellectual property assets. Additionally, we have deep knowledge of Patent Law and the workings of the Patent Office to advise you on post-issuance practice including reissue applications, reexamination proceedings, and other post-grant procedures. A patent is a set of exclusive rights to an invention granted by the government to an inventor or assignee for a limited amount of time in exchange for disclosing the details of the invention in the patent document. A patent gives the rights to exclude others from making, using, selling, offering to sell, or importing the invention covered by the patent. Patent protection is important because it limits competition and safeguards technology developments. The most common patent is a utility patent, which covers functional aspects of products and processes. Other types of patents include design patents, which protect ornamental design (e.g., the visual design of objects that are not necessarily utilitarian), and plant patents, which cover new varieties of living plants. Some foreign countries may have petty patents (e.g., utility models).
Nguyen & Tarbet provides trademark and copyright counsel to clients operating in industries that range from consumer products to cutting edge high-tech fields. A trademark is a distinctive feature such as a word, a name, a logo, a phrase, a symbol, a sound, a shape, an image, a device, a color, a smell, or a brand that is used to distinguish one product from another. Trademarks are often used by individuals or businesses to uniquely identify themselves and to create brand recognition and subsequent customer loyalty. Copyright is a set of rights that gives an author of original work the exclusive rights to that work, excluding others from copying, reproducing, adapting, distributing, transmitting, performing, or displaying that work. Examples of original work may include prose, poetry, plays, theses, text books, research articles, music compositions, movies and film, paintings and other artwork, photographs, software, and radio and television programs.
Nguyen & Tarbet attorneys have extensive experience in all areas of intellectual asset management. We have guided clients of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune 500. Our services include:
Complex portfolio strategy and development
Freedom-to-Operate analysis
Non-Infringement analysis
Invalidity analysis
Patentability analysis
Enforceability of Intellectual Property
Due diligence review of third party intellectual property
Auditing and preparation of intellectual property for due diligence review of others
Registerability of Trademarks
Intellectual property licensing
Intellectual property reporting compliance
IP due diligence issues in connection with an M&A transaction