Patents

Williams Mullen’s patent team helps clients realize the promise of an invention through a broad range of patent-related legal services. They also research and counsel clients on trademark availability and regularly register and enforce clients’ trademarks, service marks, and certification marks before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in court.  Our patent attorneys are admitted to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and assist clients in identifying and protecting inventions in a variety of technical fields. We prepare, file and prosecute domestic and foreign patent applications. We also counsel clients on a host of matters such as research and development contracts, non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, patent licensing, assignments, government technology transfer and other related issues. We routinely conduct novelty, validity and patent assessment searches, design-around and product clearance analyses, invalidity and infringement investigations and analyses, and intellectual property audits for due diligence purposes as well as for intellectual property asset management programs. To ensure the continued legal vitality of a client’s innovation, we provide maintenance assistance for issued patents, prepare and assist with reissue and reexamination proceedings, and provide extensive litigation support.

Williams Mullen’s patent team helps clients realize the promise of an invention through a broad range of patent-related legal services. They also research and counsel clients on trademark availability and regularly register and enforce clients’ trademarks, service marks, and certification marks before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in court.  Our patent attorneys are admitted to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and assist clients in identifying and protecting inventions in a variety of technical fields. We prepare, file and prosecute domestic and foreign patent applications. We also counsel clients on a host of matters such as research and development contracts, non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, patent licensing, assignments, government technology transfer and other related issues. We routinely conduct novelty, validity and patent assessment searches, design-around and product clearance analyses, invalidity and infringement investigations and analyses, and intellectual property audits for due diligence purposes as well as for intellectual property asset management programs. To ensure the continued legal vitality of a client’s innovation, we provide maintenance assistance for issued patents, prepare and assist with reissue and reexamination proceedings, and provide extensive litigation support.


Technical Areas

• Biotechnology
• Business Information Processing
• Chemistry and Chemical Compounds
• Computer Software
• Computer Hardware
• Electronics
• Mechanical Devices, Electro-mechanical Devices, Power Generation
• Medical Devices
• Optical Devices, Photovoltaics
• Veterinary Devices
• Pharmaceuticals
• Refrigeration/De-humidification
• Sensors
• Telecommunications
• Information Networks
• Wireless Infrastructure
• Wireless Devices 
   

Patent Services

• Avoidance Analyses
• Confidentiality Agreements
• Domestic and Foreign Patent Applications
• Government Technology Transfer
• Intellectual Property Audits
• Invalidity and Infringement Investigations
• Litigation Support
• Maintenance Assistance for Issued Patents
• Novelty, Validity and Patent Assessment Searches
• Patent Licensing
• Reissue and Re-examination Proceedings
• Research and Development Contracts

The patent group’s strength comes from its diverse members who have prosecuted domestic and international patents for a wide-range of high-tech innovations. The team also includes a former in-house IP counsel and a former university patent counsel who serves as General Counsel to the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority. With experience as counsel to government agencies, businesses and universities, our patent attorneys offer clients a perspective focused on solving real-world business issues and legal challenges.