The experienced patent lawyers of McGuireWoods regularly prepare, file and prosecute applications for client inventions (whether developed domestically or abroad) in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in its foreign counterparts. We conduct novelty, validity and state-of-the-art patent searches, invalidity and non-infringement investigations and analyses, and due diligence reviews. To ensure the continued legal vitality of our clients’ innovations, we handle reissue and re-examination proceedings, often as part of concurrent litigation or enforcement strategies.
We also help develop patent enforcement programs or defensive strategies and regularly counsel clients on licensing, assignments and related issues. These include drafting and negotiating confidentiality agreements for inventors and third parties. As our lawyers are regularly involved in patent litigation, we prosecute applications with disputes in mind, which enables our clients to confidently assert their patents in licensing or claims.
Our prosecution practice is composed of a number of industry-focused teams, including biological and physical sciences, electrical engineering and computer science, medical and biomedical, and general engineering/mechanical. Our extensive list of patent prosecution and counseling technologies includes heavy machinery, automotive, pollution control, medical devices and equipment, pharmaceuticals, computer hardware and software, semiconductors and telecommunications, among others.