For an invention first conceived or reduced to practice in the U.S., by any of the inventors of such invention, any patent application shall first be filed in the U.S. Uncle Sam wants to be sure any inventions made in the U.S. can be reviewed for national security concerns before they get published to the world or filed abroad.

So you finally get around to signing that NDA with the potential business partner. But when did you start giving that partner access to your confidential information? Was it before you signed? Was it before the effective date of the NDA?

So you finally get around to signing that NDA with the potential business partner. But when did you start giving that partner access to your confidential information? Was it before you signed? Was it before the effective date of the NDA?

A secrecy order is an official instruction from the Commissioner of the United States Trademark and Patent Office to prevent the disclosure of sensitive information in a patent application that could threaten national security.

In the U.S., trademark rights are use-based. Trademark rights only arise from your use of the mark.

Patent laws provide legal protection for the exclusive use of patented products and services by their inventors and innovators, but enforcing patent protection against infringement is often extremely expensive.

Foreign filings for a company’s intellectual property enhance the technology’s attractiveness and value to potential buyers who wish to do business in jurisdictions outside the United States.

Employment agreements create a clear, written record of mutually agreed terms between companies and employees or contractors.

It may be wise to take a step back before drafting and sending that letter or email. While cease and desist letters serve a legitimate function, a poorly crafted demand, or one based on claims that cannot be supported, can do much more legal harm than good.

You don’t want to contact a tool company directly and tell them about your great idea without having some protections in place. Sometimes a non-disclosure agreement can be effective for making an initial disclosure of your invention to another party.