»   Prepare & negotiate licenses and assignments of patents, trademarks, copyrights, and technology

»   Record assignments with the Patent and Trademark Office and the Copyright Office

»   Prepare non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements

»   Draft non-competition agreements

Did you know?

• A "naked" assignment of a trademark can invalidate the trademark.

• Copyright assignments and exclusive licenses must be in writing.

• In the absence of a written agreement, an independent contractor -- and not the hiring entity -- owns the copyrightable works of authorship he or she creates in the course of employment.

• In the absence of a written agreement, the employee -- and not the employer -- owns his or her patentable invention, unless the employee was "hired to invent."

• If a patent assignment is not formally recorded with the Patent and Trademark Office, it can be voided by a subsequent assignment, even if the subsequent assignment is fraudulent.

• Courts will not enforce an overly broad non-compete agreement, and in some states, such as Texas, courts may award attorneys' fees to a non-prevailing defendant in a breach-of-non-compete-agreement if the court has to reform the agreement because it was overbroad.