Intellectual property licenses and technology transfers are complex transactions that require an understanding of the legal principles involved. HLF has extensive experience drafting and negotiating intellectual property licenses and technology transfer agreements. Whether representing the licensor or licensee, HLF understands the critical points of such deals.  The principal’s extensive experience drafting and negotiating these arrangements allows her to focus on the key provisions and “must-haves”. This provides her with credibility on the negotiating team and saves clients time and money.  HLF has drafted, negotiated and interpreted numerous tech transfer, licenses and other intellectual property–related agreements including: Exclusive / non-exclusive patent license Technology /...

HLF has extensive experience evaluating and managing intellectual property assets, particularly patents and trade secrets.  The firm’s principal brings an in-house approach to IP management services, focusing on asset use and value as a top priority rather than mere numbers. Services in this area include: Best practices advice for whether formal legal opinions, like freedom to operate, are necessary Intellectual property management, or designing targeted methodology for managing IP IP due diligence for potential investors, acquirers or licensees (including chain of title) Legal opinions (e.g., patentability, validity, infringement, freedom to operate) IP audits / evaluating IP assets vs. commercial product or market and strategic significance Strategic...

Trademarks and service marks protect brand names and logos used in association with goods and services, while a patent protects an invention and a copyright protects an original artistic or literary work. HLF files and prosecutes applications to register trademarks at the USPTO and under international treaties. The practice corresponds with the USPTO about the trademark application, once filed (called “prosecution”).  Once the mark is registered, HLF maintains client trademark registrations by making the periodic filings necessary to keep the mark alive.   After a mark is selected, the first step in the trademark registration process is a search of other...

HLF files and prosecutes patent applications at the USPTO in selected technologies, generally in the mechanical / device and chemical fields. HLF also offers a full range of patent-related opinions: patentability, validity, infringement, freedom-to-operate. The firm also consults on design around strategies and competitive landscape assessments. HLF will file and prosecute each of the three types of patents available in the US (design, utility and plant) and coordinate with foreign counsel to file international applications as selected by clients. International patent filings are expensive so we counsel clients on filing strategies designed to optimize protection while keeping costs down.