Sketchbook

August 21st, 2017Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Intellectual Property – Why hire a lawyer when you can do it yourself?The internet provides many wonderful benefits, but DIY intellectual property sites may not be all they’re cracked up to be. …Read More

August 10th, 2017Effective Invention Disclosure MeetingsPrior to preparing a patent application for an invention, an invention disclosure meeting should be held between the inventors and…Read More

July 26th, 2017I Have a Feeling We’re Not in Beaumont Anymore – Or Are We? Ruminations on TC HeartlandAuthors: Brent P. Lorimer[1] & Hannah Follender[2] After they arrive in Oz, Dorothy famously tells Toto “I’ve a feeling we’re not…Read More

July 18th, 2017The Importance of Examiner InterviewsMost patent applications are initially rejected by the Patent Office. With that rejection comes the opportunity to interface with the…Read More

July 12th, 2017Impression Products v. Lexmark: Supreme Court Strengthens Doctrine of Patent ExhaustionOn May 30, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Impression Products, Inc. v Lexmark Int’l, Inc., addressing…Read More

July 3rd, 2017Overview on Information Disclosure Statement PracticeInformation Disclosure Statements (IDS) are commonplace submissions under U.S. practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).  They are…Read More

June 8th, 2017IP Considerations for Start-UpsEvery start-up company faces the challenges of being pulled in multiple directions.  Competing interests consume your precious resources including time, people…Read More

June 5th, 2017Top 10 Things to Consider When Selecting an Attorney to Help Patent Your InventionYou have a great idea and need to get a patent to protect it. Great! What's next? Before you make…Read More

May 15th, 2017The Who’s Who and What’s What of a Patent Application: An Overview of Inventors, Assignees, and ApplicantsWhen filing a patent application, there are three key characters to identify: Who is the inventor? Who is the assignee?…Read More

April 24th, 2017What is Patent Scope and Why Should You Care? Because Hogs Get Slaughtered—That’s Why.You came up with what is in your estimation the next best invention. For the purposes of illustration, let’s say…Read More

April 18th, 2017PDMA Chapter Meeting: Women on the Rise in Product DevelopmentWe are excited to host the next meeting for the Utah Chapter of the Product Development & Management Association (PDMA)…Read More

April 17th, 2017Preparing Inventors for the Patent ProcessEven though inventors are central to the creation of an invention, they are often an underutilized resource during the actual…Read More

April 11th, 2017Navigating the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)Patent Applicants often wish they could accelerate examination of their U.S. applications when corresponding patent claims have already been determined to meet the requirements for patentability elsewhere.  On January 6, 2014, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) launched a simplified Patent Prosecution Highway …Read More

March 6th, 2017Do Drawings Really Need to Show Every Feature of the Invention?A patent application will sometimes be rejected in view of drawing objections. One type of drawing objection is based on…Read More

February 27th, 2017Overview on After Final Practice at the USPTOWhen an Applicant is faced with a final rejection of the claims before the USPTO, it may appear that examination…Read More