“Intellectual property has led innovation throughout the world, and is an issue at the very heart of the global economy. The applied talents of inventors, researchers, entrepreneurs, artists and workers contribute greatly to the most advanced economies.” |
Carlos M. Gutierrez U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY (2005) |
The firm’s intellectual property practice traces its roots in Western New York back to the 1890s. Today, we represent numerous Western New York clients, as well as businesses based throughout the United States and in many foreign countries.
Our clients’ technologies include neural networks, integrated optoelectronics and gradient lens technology, dental and medical components, biochemical and biomedical systems, blood sensing technologies, animal and plant genetics, steam generation, agricultural hardware and systems, and advanced materials applications.
The legal services provided by the firm’s Intellectual Property Group are comprehensive. We assist clients in acquiring patents, trademarks, and copyrights, and have extensive experience negotiating and drafting licensing agreements in various contexts relating to many different types of properties. We provide strategic counseling to assist our clients in maximizing the potential of their IP portfolios, including the assessment of potential threats, and helping to ensure that conflicts are avoided relative to the IP rights of others.
When disputes do arise, they are handled by our litigation team which has extensive knowledge and experience representing clients in complex intellectual property litigation in federal and state courts across the nation, including trials, evidentiary hearings (Markman, preliminary injunctions), and appeals. We also represent clients before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Conflicts relating to false advertising and defamation (libel and slander) are routinely handled by our intellectual property litigation attorneys, in addition to cases involving franchising rights, and various issues in electronic commerce, such as domain-name disputes.
We are frequently called on to defend the enforceability of confidentiality agreements and post-employment non-competition agreements designed to safeguard the misappropriation of trade secrets and protected business interests. We also defend and prosecute actions for unfair competition, and bring forth customs actions related to the monitoring and importation of infringing goods.
While we have been very successful in pursuing cases within the traditional court system, we proactively pursue mediation and other alternative dispute resolution vehicles whenever appropriate.
OUR CLIENTS
Businesses (ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-up ventures)
Entrepreneurs
Investors
Individual Inventors
Major Motion Picture Studios
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Stephen B. Salai (Brad)