Full-Spectrum IP Protection

Our attorneys possess prior industry experience and boast diverse technological experience, from mechanical engineering to electrical engineering, consumer products, food science, paper converting, medical systems and devices, software, geology, and chemistry, to name a few.

Our in-house docketing department is staffed with skilled professionals who monitor and manage high-volume patent portfolios at every step. We have a proven system to efficiently optimize our management of matters which our clients has entrusted with us. We also have an extensive network of foreign patent agents with whom we work daily on international patent matters. Our services include:

• Goal Oriented IP Strategy Development
• Competitor Analysis
• Competitor Patent Portfolio Monitoring
• Competitor Litigation Monitoring
• Development of Patentability Opinions
• Preparing Patent Applications
• Prosecuting Patent Applications
• Infringement and Litigation Avoidance
• Preparing of Non-Infringement Opinions
• Freedom to Operate Opinions
• Patent Validity Searches

Industrial design protection is a great complement to utility patent protection, and in some cases may be the ideal protection for products incorporating well-established technology. If you have products that include ornamental aspect that you believe to be advantageous in the marketplace, contact RKM for assistance in evaluating your options. Our services include:

• Goal Oriented IP Strategy Development
• Competitor Analysis
• Competitor Patent Portfolio Monitoring
• Competitor Litigation Monitoring
• Development of Patentability Opinions
• Preparing Patent Applications
• Prosecuting Patent Applications
• Infringement and Litigation Avoidance
• Preparing of Non-Infringement Opinions
• Freedom to Operate Opinions
• Patent Validity Searches

Trademark rights provide the owner with the ability to prevent others from using a trademark that is likely to cause confusion among consumers of the owner’s goods or services.

Trademark protection lasts as long as the trademark registration is maintained and the trademark is in actual use, therefore trademark rights can outlast other forms of intellectual property protection.

RKM can help you protect your brands. Let us help you understand how to select and maintain a distinctive brand, and how to keep a watch out for others that may be encroaching on your market. Our services includes:

• Goal Oriented IP Strategy Development
• Competitor Analysis
• Competitor Trademark Portfolio Monitoring
• Competitor Litigation Monitoring
• Development of Trademark Searches and Opinions
• Preparing Trademark Applications
• Prosecuting Trademark Applications
• Infringement and Litigation Avoidance
• Trademark Opposition

Copyright protection begins the moment the work of authorship is completed. No formal registration is required for protection. However, in order to enforce a copyright, an application to register the copyright must be filed and preferably granted. Furthermore, prompt copyright registration can affect the amount of damages available in such a lawsuit.

Whether you need to register a copyright, enforce a copyright, or if you have been sued for potential copyright infringement, contact an attorney at RKM to help you understand your rights and options. Our services include:

• Goal Oriented IP Strategy Development
• Competitor Analysis
• Competitor Trademark Portfolio Monitoring
• Competitor Litigation Monitoring
• Development of Copyright Searches and Opinions
• Preparing Copyright Applications
• Prosecuting Copyright Applications
• Infringement and Litigation Avoidance

Classic examples of trade secrets include recipes, manufacturing processes, formulas, patterns, manufacturing materials, and any other information that cannot be, or is difficult to be, reverse engineered.

Unlike patent law, which is generally national in scope, until recently trade secret law has principally been a matter of state law in the United States. If you have any questions regarding whether you have a trade secret or how you should best protect your trade secret, pursuant to federal and state law, contact an RKM attorney today.

From helping you secure market share to understanding the competitive IP landscape, RKM’s counseling services provide a logical and reasoned approach to IP management, and looks out for your best interests while maintaining focus on the big picture.

Licensing

A license provides a person with the ability to use another’s IP without fear of being sued by that person. The approach to licensing negotiations may be substantially different depending on which side of the license you are on. RKM’s attorneys have represented clients on each side of a license negotiation and understand the dynamics and complexities of getting the deal done.

Join Development Agreements

Situations arise where a company may not have the resources to develop technology or advance existing technology to the next level. Possibly your core engineering strengths dovetail nicely with the engineering strengths of another company, even a competitor. A joint development agreement provides avenue for collaboration on technological advancement while managing expectations and allocating intellectual property ownership from the inception of the relationship so there are no surprises. Let RKM assist you in advancing your interests through a joint development process.

Asset Purchases

Sometimes, the intellectual property that you would like to use as a basis for a product or service already exists, and is owned by someone else. Alternatively, another entity may wish to purchase all or part of your intellectual property. RKM can provide full service client-based representation related to the sale or purchase of intellectual property, including patents, patent portfolios, trademarks, and copyrights.

Acquisition And Merger Support

When it is time to buy or sell a company, due diligence with regard to review of intellectual property is critical. Are licenses transferable? Does a seller have clear title to all intellectual property it claims to own? Will the purchase of a business place you in an uncomfortable business relationship with a competitor? Let RKM assist you in reviewing the intellectual property aspects of your merger or acquisition to ensure that you have the information you need to make an informed decision.

A lawsuit will distract you and your employees from running your business. Even the threat of a lawsuit may hinder potential business opportunities. RKM works with its clients to find alternatives to litigation.

Sometimes litigation can’t be avoided. For those times when your efforts to avoid or settle disputes are not fruitful, RKM’s litigation team offers a full slate of litigation services in support of our intellectual property portfolio development and counseling services.

Full Service Litigation

Sometimes litigation can’t be avoided. For those times when your efforts to avoid or settle disputes are not fruitful, RKM’s litigation team offers a full slate of litigation services in support of our intellectual property portfolio development and counseling services. This breadth of experience allows RKM to thoroughly evaluate all aspects of a case and provide you with an honest and informed assessment.

Local Counsel

The RKM team is licensed to litigate in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the Western District of Wisconsin and the Northern District of Illinois. Further, RKM represents its clients in litigation throughout the country and the world. We understand that the role of local counsel is different in every case. RKM stands ready to assist as local counsel in whatever capacity you need because we also understand the importance of having someone local in your corner.

Litigation and Trial Support

It is important to have the right team assembled to succeed in litigation. Today’s global marketplace means that people are conducting business across the country and around the world. RKM is ready to help as advisors to give you a local perspective, or if you are looking for an IP specialist to provide guidance on the intricacies of IP law. Whatever you need to complete your team, RKM is ready to help.

Litigation Avoidance and Settlement

RKM understands that litigation is expensive and disruptive to your business. A lawsuit will distract you and your employees from running your business. Even the threat of a lawsuit may hinder potential business opportunities. RKM works with its clients to find alternatives to litigation—creating leverage to settle lawsuits and avoid them altogether.

RKM’s dispute resolution team is experienced in a wide variety of USPTO administrative proceedings and has a history of success in advocating client’s rights in front of the administrative boards of the USPTO. These proceedings include:

• Post Grant Review
• Inter Partes Review (IPR)
• Covered Business Method Patent Review
• Trademark Opposition Proceedings
• Trademark Cancellation Proceedings
• Exparte Reexamination