During the diligence step for an M&A, it is surprisingly common to discover that some of the entity’s intellectual property (IP) was never formally assigned to the company in the first place. It's not the patents or the registered trademarks; it’s the overlooked assets.

Assets such as:

• Website content and marketing copy
• Graphics, videos, and blog articles
• Software written by contractors
• Domain names registered under a founder’s personal account
• Internal ...

This is not a mere coincidence, it is strategy. Taken together, these announcements signal something more significant than just administrative expansion. They reflect a structural shift where innovation is happening and how federal intellectual property (IP) infrastructure is responding.

We are witnessing the expansion of a new “Innovation Frontier”.

Why Montana and ...

I’m seeing a growing pattern: NIL brands built around phrases that intentionally echo well-known movie titles, characters, or pop-culture names, often through rhyme, cadence, or wordplay. They feel clever and marketable. And they often create trademark risk that isn’t obvious at first glance.

A recent precedential decision from the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) Appeals Review Panel signals a meaningful adjustment in how those innovations are evaluated. The case—Ex parte Desjardins—does not change the law, but it clarifies how examiners must apply it ...

The start of 2026 brings energy, momentum, and predictably, the same intellectual property mistakes I see every January.

For startups, it often looks like moving fast without realizing that public launches, pitch decks, websites, and demos can quietly destroy patent rights if filings are not in place. For established companies, it usually shows up as brand expansion, new offerings, or ...

This blog discusses what's really happening behind the scenes and what you should be ready for when someone wants to share their "million-dollar idea" with you.

1. The Surprise Pitch: “Can I Tell You My Idea?”

It sounds harmless, maybe even a little flattering. But legally? It’s a minefield.

Because ...

First Actions Are Much Faster

In FY 2025, the average time to first Office Action dropped to 5.6 months, outperforming the USPTO’s 6.7-month goal.

For businesses, that means:

• Earlier clarity on registrability
• Faster brand decision-making
• More efficient trademark protection timelines

Patents and Profitability: What the Data Shows

In industries where R&D costs are high and products are easy to copy such as pharmaceuticals, biotech, semiconductors, and medical devices, patents often serve as the foundation for profitability. For companies such as Pfizer, Merck, Medtronic, and NVIDIA, patent exclusivity translates into premium ...

In the world of business, some “secrets” deserve the same careful treatment, we just call them trade secrets instead of holiday wishes.

What Makes a Trade Secret Special?

A trade secret is any information that has economic value and gives your business an edge because it is not ...

What You’re Actually Buying with a Patent Search

A patent search is not required before filing. Plenty of inventors file without ever running one. But when you do invest in a search, you’re not paying for documents, you’re paying for clarity, direction, and strategic insight.

Specifically, you gain ...