Patent Prosecution & Protection
Stites & Harbison's Intellectual Property and Trademark (IPT) Group includes more than 20 attorneys, many of whom are Registered U.S. Patent Attorneys. We counsel clients on matters relating to domestic and international intellectual property issues, and assist them in securing domestic and international patent rights. From our Alexandria, Va. office location, our patent attorneys can easily visit the United States Patent & Trademark Office and advocate in person for our client's inventions.
Our clients include independent inventors, Internet and biotech start-ups, established brick-and-mortar businesses and universities.
Our patent attorneys have prosecuted patent applications covering a wide range of technologies, from simple mechanical devices to complex software packages, biotechnological inventions, and business methods.
The IPT Group not only prosecutes patent applications; we also assist clients in protecting existing patent rights, and in developing and implementing intellectual property protection plans. Our attorneys regularly issue validity, infringement, right-to-use, and patentability opinions. They also negotiate licenses and technology transfer agreements, and manage and conduct litigation to protect and enforce the patent rights.
Stites & Harbison is one of the Top Patent Firms in the nation named by Intellectual Property Today (March 2015 issue) with respect to the number of utility patents issued in 2014.
No matter the office . . . I can expect to receive the same outstanding service and excellent work product from Stites & Harbison. They have personable attorneys and staff with a broad range of subject matter expertise.
On Patents, Trademarks, and Descriptiveness
We have previously blogged about the intersection between patents and trademarks. In that post, we noted that if certain features are protected by a utility patent, that is strong evidence those features are functional and therefore ineligible for trade dress protection. But the content of patents can affect whether trademark protection is available in other ways as well.
Global Executive Forum: Future of the China Relationship for Kentucky Business
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
The Olmstead, 3701 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, KY 40207
Alexandria office intellectual property attorney Jeffery Langer will be a presenter at this event hosted by the World Trade Center Kentucky on October 10, 2019.
Nick Stewart joins Stites & Harbison's Louisville office
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC welcomes attorney Nick Stewart to its Louisville, Ky., office.
Federal Trademark Protection for Products Containing Hemp-Derived Cannabidiol (CBD)
As more states begin legalizing marijuana, there remains substantial tension with federal law, under which marijuana is illegal.
New Examination Guide for Review of Specimens by US PTO
In its ongoing quest to preserve the integrity of the register, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (the “PTO”) has published new guidelines for the examination of specimens of use.
China IP Road Show: Strategies for IP Protection in China - What Georgia Businesses Need to Know
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Georgia Institute of Technology, Scheller College of Business Room 100, 800 West Peachtree Street, N.W., Atlanta, GA 30308
Strategies for IP Protection in China - What Georgia Businesses Need to Know
Symposium on Global Markets - Nationalism and Protectionism: The United States in the International Arena
The Center for American and International Law, 5201 Democracy Drive, Plano, TX 75024
Alexandria office IP attorney Jeff Langer will be a panelist at this Symposium in Plano, Texas.
Managing IP selects Mandy Wilson Decker to 2019 "Top 250 Women in IP" List
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Managing Intellectual Property magazine recently selected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Mandy Wilson Decker to the 2019 edition of Managing Intellectual Property’s “Top 250 Women in IP.”
Managing IP honors Stites & Harbison attorneys on "IP Stars" 2019 List
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Managing Intellectual Property magazine has named seven Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys to the 2019 “IP Stars” list.
Terry Wright Elected to Fund for the Arts Board
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Fund for the Arts has elected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Terry Wright to its Board of Directors. He will serve a three-year term.
Amazon Unveils Its Utility Patent Neutral Evaluation Procedure
Amazon has recently implemented a relatively inexpensive procedure to address allegations of patent infringement relating to products sold on the world’s largest e-commerce site.
Chambers USA 2019 Honors Stites & Harbison
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Chambers USA selected 16 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in Kentucky and Tennessee for inclusion in their 2019 guide.
Battery-Powered Medical Devices Market Trends & Opportunities
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Memphis Bioworks Foundation Auditorium, 20 Dudley Street #900, Memphis, TN 38103
IP attorney Sean Ritchie will join a panel of speakers discussing today's technological developments in medical diagnostics and prognostics at Memphis Bioworks Foundation in Memphis, Tennessee.
IIPCC's 3rd Annual Conference - The State of Innovation in the Union
Time: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
United States Capitol (US Capitol Visitors Center), First Street Northeast, Room SVC 209-08, Washington, DC 20004
Join panels of experts as we explore the state of innovation in the United States from the private, government, academic, and public perspectives.
Intellectual Property Seminars
Marshall University, Huntington, W.Va.
Attorney Terry Wright will present three free intellectual property seminars focusing on 3-D designs and manufactured goods, pharmaceuticals and medical devices presented by the Marshall University Technology Transfer Office in Hunington, W.Va.
Stites & Harbison attorneys Robert Scully and Jeffery Langer honored by Super Lawyers for 2019
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The 2019 editions of Virginia Super Lawyers and Washington DC Super Lawyers have honored attorneys Robert E. Scully, Jr. and Jeffery P. Langer, Ph.D., of the Alexandria, Va., office of Stites & Harbison, PLLC.
US PTO Proposed Rule for Foreign Trademark Applicants and Registrants
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (the “PTO”) has proposed new rules that would require foreign trademark applicants and registrants to engage U.S. attorneys to prosecute applications, handle post-registration matters, and represent them before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
A Costly Reminder to Continually Re-Evaluate Your IP
The patent process can be frustrating and often involves a significant investment of time and money. As such, it may be tempting to assume that when the Patent Office issues a patent it is safe to assert your rights therein. However, as noted in a recent decision from the District Court for the District of Delaware, doing so may leave you on the hook for attorney’s fees.
Stites & Harbison Elects Richard Myers, Jr. to Management Committee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. —Stites & Harbison, PLLC recently elected attorney Richard Myers Jr. to the firm’s six-member Management Committee to serve a two-year term.