The very first purchase after you buy a new house is home insurance. After you buy a new car, the first purchase is auto insurance. In fact, in most cases you can’t buy a house or car without getting an insurance policy that protects you and your property.
Far too often, San Diego businesses in possession of valuable intellectual property are unclear on how best to protect their assets. It’s also not uncommon for business owners to believe that once they have secured a patent, trademark or copyright that their worries are over and that no further steps need be taken.
Of course, once you have obtained a patent, trademark or copyright, you need to have on your side an attorney experienced in IP litigation so that your assets remain yours.
While just about everyone understands that the patent approval process is rigorous and often slow, relatively few are entirely certain about legal protections for trade secrets. First, let’s be clear on an important point: there is no parallel registration process for trade secrets.
So what is a trade secret? It’s economically valuable information not generally known or easily attained. It’s also information that the owner has taken some reasonable steps to keep secret.
A couple of common trade secrets are recipes and manufacturing processes, though the secrets that give you a competitive edge can also be software or product design, or a particular technique, method or process.
If someone then misappropriates the trade secret, you and your IP lawyer can seek injunctive relief, damages and attorneys’ fees.
You can contact Mazzarella Law APC for more information about litigation involving trade secrets, patents, copyrights or trademarks.