Mintz Member and Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Division Michael T. Renaud was quoted in an article published by the Boston Business Journal featuring advice from top patent attorneys for innovators.

In the article, Mr. Renaud said:

"Patenting your innovations is a process. Do not think of it as a one-time effort, but as a means to an end, which must evolve as your business does. Your first patent is your foundation. Assuming your first patent is on your core technology, remember that it will be the foundation of future patents and for your future growth. You are best served to spend the time and effort up front to create a strong patent off of which to build protections for innovations going forward. Spend some critical time forecasting the direction you want to go and consider the markets into which you want to enter. Use that as the basis for a discussion with IP counsel to determine your patent strategy. It is easy to miss an opportunity for growth by not getting protection in geographic areas in which your product or service has value.

If you are licensing a patent or technology from a university, engage counsel who will help negotiate terms to protect your short- and long-term interests. Do not disclose without an NDA in place or patent filed. For many companies, protecting intellectual property is considered only after a successful product has been brought to market. This can be a critical mistake. You could lose rights to your inventions if they are publicly disclosed, so it is important to start thinking about patents even before you even start talking to potential customers. Some start-up executives and entrepreneurs have found out the hard way that grace periods are not universal.”

Notably, Mintz was ranked sixth on the Boston Business Journal’s list of the “Largest IP Law Firms in Massachusetts,” compiled based on number of intellectual property lawyers in Massachusetts.

Source

Boston Business Journal