Patents

Patents are a form of intellectual property that protect new and useful machines, articles, substances, or processes through exclusive rights granted by the federal government to their inventors. To receive an invention patent, the inventor must apply to the federal government and, if the invention patent is granted, the government will publish a full description for the invention and its use in the patent disclosure. The term of the patentee's exclusive right lasts for 20 years from the date when the application was filed. Please read on to find a patent attorney, patent lawyer, or to learn more about patent information.

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Patents Articles
-  Patent Process-  Small Business and Patents
 
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-  Provisional Patent Application by State-  Provisional Patent Application Free Form
 
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Hiring an Intellectual Property Lawyer
-  Intellectual Property: Meeting with a Lawyer-  Preparing to Meet An Intellectual Property Lawyer
-  Intellectual Property: Selecting a Good Lawyer
 
Related Topics on Lawyers.comsm
-  Copyrights-  Trademarks
-  Business Law-  Small Business Law
-  Intellectual Property Licensing
 

Ask a Lawyer - Intellectual Property Law questions answered by leading lawyers
How Do I File A Trademark Or Copyright An Advertising Campaign?

How do I trademark or copyright an advertising campaign or a marketing strategy?

Do Photos that I Took Before I Started Employment Belong to the Employer After I Leave That Employment?

What does "a work prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment" mean? I was a VP of a construction firm. Before being hired by that firm, I owned my own business doing the same kind of work. During my employment with the construction firm, I took photos of work I completed before being hired by that firm. During my employment I did allow the firm to use some photos of my pre-employment work in their advertising. I am now using the photos in my own advertising, and my former employer is claiming that the photos belong to them. Who is right and what can I do about it?

Can You Enforce Rights In An Idea That Was Stolen From You?

I am interested in information concerning intellectual property. If you have solid evidence that you had an idea before someone else and if someone took over your idea, do you have a case?

Can I Use the Content From Other Websites On My Own Website?

I would like to know if I can use parts of text content from third party websites on my own website. Can I incorporate a few sentences from different websites into my website?

How Do I Protect Jewelry Designs?

I've created a new type of jewelry for men's formal wear that I'd like to protect. Without disclosing too much here, how would I protect the idea of a "cufflink" (if it was a "new" idea). How would I then protect each individual "cufflink" design?


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