With the expansion of the Internet, the emergence of pan-national unions, the growth of cross-border alliances, treaties and other international economic developments, the much-awaited global marketplace is a reality. Our Technology and Intellectual Property attorneys represent clients in a variety of international business transactions and other matters in which intellectual property rights play a key role. By way of illustration, our Technology and Intellectual Property attorneys provide advice and counsel concerning:
- Designing global intellectual property protection strategies and policies
- Preparing, prosecuting, defending and opposing foreign patent, copyright, trademark and other intellectual property applications for registration or other protection
- Litigating intellectual property infringement claims and related suits, including Section 337 disputes in front of the International Trade Commission
- Providing counsel regarding the development, licensing, distribution and other "leveraging" of intellectual property assets
- Counseling on U.S. export control regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the International Traffic in Arms Control Regulations (ITAR)
- Structuring joint ventures, strategic alliances and other partnering transactions
- Counseling clients regarding foreign laws relevant to e-commerce, such as the European Union's Privacy Directive and related Safe Harbor
- Resolving and litigating other international intellectual property contract/license disputes, including alternative dispute resolution
- Addressing immigration and other related employment matters
In providing these services and consistent with our collaborative "team approach" to problem solving, our Technology and Intellectual Property attorneys work closely both with other Whiteford attorneys in related practice areas and with our established foreign legal affiliations who provide advice related to local laws, regulations and customs in all commercially significant foreign counties. Our lawyers attend and speak regularly at international intellectual property seminars and attend regularly International Trademark Association (INTA) events. Whiteford is a member of a number of international networks of lawyers, and when using foreign affiliates, we oversee their engagement in order to ensure that the services performed are high quality, timely delivered and cost-effective. We also closely monitor the advice received based upon our own experience and knowledge of intellectual property law, in order to ensure that the services, considered as a whole, are consistent with our clients' overall business objectives.