If you are not a lawyer or an attorney, then the world of law can be incredibly complex and confusing. As a matter of fact, this is exactly why lawyers need to spend at the very least four years studying laws and how lawyers are supposed to act before they can work in the field. there is a lot that is expected of these people.
The world of law is filled with so many different potential reasons for a court case scenario. This can include personal injuries, bankruptcy, as well as everything involved in the patent process. This includes patent protection, patents, patent lawyers, and patent attorneys. Here are all of the facts that surround this particular area of the world of law.
In the year 1970, the very first patent law was utilized in the United States. This marks a huge change in the world of law. Before this day, people could have stolen an idea or concept without having to deal with any legal issues. This is something that can be very dangerous to the common person because someone with money could take their idea and monetize it.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is the guardian of people who need to hire patent attorneys to protect their intellectual properties. In the year of 2016, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued nearly 303,051. Now, it is important to undrestand what an intellectual property is.
In 2016, digital communication and computer technology claimed the first and second place in the list of technologies with the most international patent applications. According to legal analytics firm Lex Machina, there were 4,537 patent infringement suits filed in 2016. The United States Patent Office receives six times as many applications as it did in 1980.
An intellectual property is an idea or concept that has come to light in terms of a franchise or product. For instance, if someone creates a book that becomes a franchise, it is their intellectual property. Without the right protection, it can be dangerous because this idea can be stolen and monetized. Make sure you hire patent attorneys to help you keep your ideas safe.
There are four ways to protect intellectual property which includes patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. In order to receive a patent, an invention has to meet three criteria which can include usefulness, novelty, non-obviousness. Utility and plant patents issued after June 8, 1995, expire 20 years from the date of application with the payment of maintenance fees.
Design patents expire 14 years from the date of issue. The USPTO defines three kinds of patents: utility patents, design patents, plant patents. A utility patent is far and away the most common type of patent issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. In fact, according to the USPTO, roughly 90 percent of patent documents have been utility patents
Unique packaging, such as the size or shape of a soft drink bottle, may be eligible for a design patent. These only protect a given design for 14 years, while a utility patent is good for 20 years. So this just goes to show that you can hire patent attorneys for almost anything to help protect your ideas.
In Conclusion
Every single year there are patent attorneys that are hired to help patent ideas and concepts. As previously mentioned, these ideas can range from pieces of fiction to unique packaging. There are so many reasons why you need to hire patent attorneys to help protect your ideas in the world of business. The most important aspect, without a doubt, is to make sure that no one can steal an idea you have worked hard on to create and develop.
