Lane Powell offers one of the Pacific Northwest’s most comprehensive intellectual property practices. The Firm’s highly skilled Intellectual Property and Technology Practice Group is recognized for providing counsel across all key areas – from patents and copyrights to trademarks and trade secrets.
Key Areas of Intellectual Property Practice
- Copyright Law: Protecting, registering and enforcing copyrights in the United States and overseas, and assisting in acquisition and transfer of copyright and other intellectual property rights through licenses, assignments, purchase and other agreements. The Firm also is experienced in the development of corporate copyright policies and compliance programs.
- Internet Law: Counseling on all areas of Internet law, from website development and hosting agreements to site privacy and e-commerce. Lane Powell attorneys are experienced in compliance with state and federal privacy regulations and in security risks to clients’ valuable customer and product information. The Firm has litigated numerous cybersquatting disputes under the ICANN Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy and the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act.
- Patent Law: Assessing, acquiring and licensing patent rights for inventions and complex technologies, plus providing counsel on complex issues of licensing, technology transfer and product development strategies. The Firm maintains solid relationships with patent specialists who can assist on matters requiring technical representation before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
- Trade Secret Law: Protecting clients’ valuable trade secrets, proprietary know-how and confidential information. Lane Powell attorneys are skilled in negotiating and preparing confidentiality agreements, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements to protect proprietary information.
- Trademark Law: Providing complete trademark services to protect and maximize clients’ proprietary rights in their brands, identities and images – from creation through commercial exploitation, from business transactions to enforcement. Lane Powell provides experienced counsel for the registration, maintenance, dispute resolution, monitoring and enforcement of trade and associated marks.
Establishing Intellectual Property Rights
Lane Powell attorneys advise clients on registration and enforcement of trademarks and copyrights, patent protection and disputes, and trade secret protection in the United States and overseas. Examples include:
- Creating programs to inventory existing rights.
- Developing policies regarding newly created rights.
- Preparing appropriate confidentiality and non-competition agreements for vendors and employees that establish and clarify intellectual property rights.
Acquiring and Transferring Intellectual Property
Lane Powell assists clients in developing, acquiring and transferring patent, trademark, copyright and other proprietary rights through licenses, assignment, purchase and other types of agreements. These rights are critical in activities such as:
- Creating product distribution networks.
- Developing asset purchase arrangements.
- Part of joint venture agreements.
- Through corporate mergers.
Preserving Intellectual Property
Lane Powell attorneys regularly negotiate and prepare confidentiality agreements, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements to protect clients’ proprietary information. They also can assist in developing corporate in-house programs for protecting and managing intellectual property.
Enforcing and Defending Intellectual Property Rights
Lane Powell’s intellectual property group includes experienced litigators skilled in assisting clients in the protection, enforcement and preservation of intellectual property rights in areas such as:
- Negotiated resolution
- Litigation
- Arbitration
- Other dispute resolution procedures
Lane Powell has successfully litigated disputes involving patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and unfair competition issues, among others.
Intellectual Property Litigation
Lane Powell’s litigators are experienced in all aspects of intellectual property litigation, including trials and appeals in state and federal courts, Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, arbitration, mediation and other alternative dispute resolution procedures such as the ICANN Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy.
For example, the Firm’s litigation attorneys have successfully litigated complex trademark and trade dress issues, unfair competition, passing-off and false advertising disputes, as well as the prosecution and defense of federal and state trademark infringement claims. They are skilled in multinational trademark disputes – such as conflicts in which parties have trademark rights in the same countries but prior rights in different parts of the world – and in handling trademark proceedings in multiple countries, coordinating with international counsel and working to reach global settlements.
Representative Litigation Matters
- Represented plaintiff in complex trade secrets/technology case resulting in a $42 million jury verdict.
- Successfully represented a number of shoe manufacturers and sellers in trademark litigation brought by major footwear manufacturer with respect to the right to use stripes as a design element on footwear.
- Successfully defended and plaintiffed several claims involving complex trademark and trade dress issues.
- Represented prevailing party in several Internet domain name disputes.
Litigation can be expensive, and Lane Powell provides representation in an efficient manner. The Firm’s attorneys keep abreast of developments in the rapidly changing field of intellectual property in order to provide clients with the most updated representation possible, and they strive for innovative, creative and cutting-edge legal solutions. When appropriate, Lane Powell works with clients to secure cost-effective resolutions in alternative dispute resolution forums such as arbitration and mediation.
