In today’s competitive, global, knowledge-based business environment, companies live and die on the strength and security of their intellectual property.

Womble Bond Dickinson has the resources and skills to assist our clients in protecting, maximizing and monetizing their technology and intellectual property assets.

Intellectual property

Our intellectual property, technology and data team regularly supports our clients’ needs in the following areas:

  • Resolving patent, trademark, copyright, design, and other IP infringement, validity, opposition and entitlement disputes in UK, US and EU courts and patent offices, as well as by international arbitration. Our experience includes assisting clients with related antirust/unfair competition claims as well as with cross-border disputes
  • Conducting detailed patent investigations and analyses in all technical areas and procuring patents in the US, UK, the European Patent Office and in other international patent offices throughout the world
  • Representing clients in inter partes and post-grant review proceedings 
  • Clearing, registering and maintaining trademarks and designs throughout the world
  • Developing worldwide anti-infringement and anti-counterfeiting strategies and protocols for leading brands
  • Structuring and negotiating complex IP transactions, including licensing arrangements, research and development agreements, collaboration agreements, technology joint ventures and strategic alliances, among others 
  • Advising clients in sponsorship, advertising, sweepstakes and promotions, merchandising and franchising arrangements.

Strength of service - intellectual property

  • More than 150 qualified IP lawyers and patent agents in the US and UK.
  • Patent experience in the electrical, technology/software, mechanical, materials science, chemical, and pharmaceutical and biotech/genetics fields. Many of our team members hold advanced degrees (Masters or Ph.D.), and are former scientists and engineers. Several are former USPTO examiners
  • More than 2,000 patent and trademark prosecution clients worldwide
  • Womble Bond Dickinson has an active and growing patent prosecution practice and manages nearly 16,000 active patent matters, including issued and pending patents, throughout the world. We prepare and file approximately 2,000 patent applications per year throughout the world
  • Approximately 50,000 global trademarks under management
  • More than 30 practitioners focused on resolution of domestic and multinational IP-related disputes
  • IP transactional experience extending across a wide spectrum of industry sectors, including IT, life sciences, biotech and pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and advanced manufacturing.

Intellectual Property Litigation 

Womble Bond Dickinson has a strong IP Litigation Practice with teams throughout the US and UK, including in Delaware, Texas and California, three of the busiest patent litigation venues in the US.  

Technology, data and cybersecurity

Our technology, data and cybersecurity team advises clients in the ever-changing areas of information technology, privacy, cyber-security and data protection. We regularly advise clients in:

  • Data protection, including conducting privacy and security assessments, workplace policies and procedures, employee training, and managing privacy risks in mergers and acquisitions
  • Procurement and licensing of IT enterprise systems and services
  • Cloud-based solutions and software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) arrangements
  • eCommerce, online services and associated regulatory compliance
  • Technology acquisition and partnering, including M&A, joint venture, and licensing transactions
  • Technology investing, for start-ups, venture capital firms and our largest clients, including related securities, governance and employment issues
  • Communications network cybersecurity compliance planning and support, counseling communications providers on cybersecurity best practices and developing procedures for handling cyber incidents, breach recovery and response protocols that are designed to limit fall-out damages post-incident
  • Fintech (payment services, challenger banks)
  • Insurtech, including peer-to-peer networks, telematics, cyber insurance and other technology-related insurance products
  • Cyber and security technologies
  • Digital media

Strength of service - technology, data and cybersecurity

  • Womble Bond Dickinson has over 45+ lawyers who focus on technology, data protection and cybersecurity. Our multidisciplinary team works regionally and internationally on both contentious and non-contentious matters
  • Technology and data experience with a wide range of client industry groups, including financial institutions, insurance, retail and consumer, healthcare, transportation and infrastructure, public sector, and education
  • Served two of the Global Top 10 fintech companies and some of the world’s largest financial institutions
  • Specific experience helping clients safeguard consumer, financial and healthcare information
  • Regularly advise businesses about global consumer data collection and privacy protection regulations and qualification and compliance with the Privacy Shield program of the United States Department of Commerce and the European Union, as well as federal, state and local privacy law.

Browse our Intellectual Property Lawyers and Professional Staff

Some people believe innovation happens overnight, but not us. We understand how much money, time, and effort you pour into every piece of intellectual property.

Many of our IP attorneys and professionals are also technically trained, have advanced degrees in science and engineering, and have prior experience as patent examiners, business executives, and in-house counsel.We back our business experience with equal parts scientific and legal knowledge to help clients protect and leverage their IP. Our IP Team handles antitrust, distribution, trade practice, and technology issues for a global client base with full-service IP counseling, global procurement, and IP litigation services related to patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.
 

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Our Intellectual Property Attorney Services

What makes us a Top Tier IP Firm?

By investing in the right people and technology, we’ve built a high-impact intellectual property group with more than 250 attorneys and practitioners. We work across teams, practice groups, and offices to provide holistic IP support and access to attorneys with relevant experience in your industry.

We have offices in global innovation hubs like Silicon Valley, Boston, and Research Triangle Park in North Carolina and strong IP litigation teams in three (3) of the nation's busiest patent litigation venues: Delaware, Texas, and California.

Strategic IP Advice

  • IP strategy alignment with overall business objectives
  • Legal advice on promotions, sweepstakes, and marketing and advertising campaigns
  • Ongoing strategic IP counsel, i.e., we monitor IP trends that could potentially impact your business

Patent Preparation and Prosecution
Our intellectual property lawyers, patent agents, and scientific advisors, many with advanced degrees, provide comprehensive legal support for U.S. and foreign patents. 

  • Detailed patent investigations
  • Patent analysis
  • Procurement
  • Patent prosecution

IP Litigation Services 
We represent clients in all phases of litigation, with experience protecting and enforcing patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. We also engage in defensive litigation to protect our clients' products and businesses from unwarranted patent assertations.

  • Our IP litigators work closely with the patent prosecution attorneys to serve clients in post-grant proceedings, including inter partes reviews (IPRs).

IP Licensing and Transactions
Our IP Team plays a critical role in transactions: negotiating and drafting documents that protect your interests and maximize your IP’s value. We have clients in all industries, but work extensively with energy, information technology, nanotechnology, life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare companies.

  • Complex licensing agreements
  • Strategic alliance agreements
  • IP matters in corporate transactions:
    • Technology transfer agreements
    • Joint ventures
    • Due diligence strategies
  • Research:
    • Government funding
    • University-industry relations
    • Corporate sponsored research contracts


Trademarks and Copyrights 
We handle every legal issue related to trademarks and copyrights, including U.S. and foreign trademark searching, trademark and copyright applications, prosecutions, and enforcement, as well as licensing and monitoring trademarks and copyrights in the U.S. and abroad.

  • Trademark, logo, and design registrability - Reports and opinions:
    • Trade dress protection and brand strategy
    • Trademark registrations and enforcement
  • Copyright analysis and strategies:
    • Copyrightability
    • Authorship protection for digital and print media

 

Your intellectual property team

Our team, based in the UK and US, includes specialist lawyers, attorneys, paralegals and strategists who can offer support throughout the lifespan of your intellectual property. We also have built strong working relationships with a trusted network of intellectual property practitioners globally, meaning we can help wherever your issues arise.

An ever-changing and fast developing area, a number of the team are also involved in various professional and industry associations, allowing them to stay abreast of latest developments and be at the heart of influencing practice. As a result, we can provide keen insight on your matters backed by the latest industry thinking and research – and we love talking about intellectual property too!

We cover all types of intellectual property rights and deal with establishing subsistence, clearance, audits and registration through to licensing, research and development, sponsorship, collaborations and other contractual arrangements.

Think your intellectual property is being misused or infringed? We can help there too. Our award-winning team has extensive experience with court disputes, as well as domain name and company name actions, and is adept at alternative dispute resolution.

You can rest easy knowing we’ve got the expertise and know-how to handle any intellectual property challenge you throw our way swiftly, effectively, and without fuss.

Need legal advice and guidance in intellectual property?
Our team is able to help provide solutions to you and your organization. Browse through our lawyers and professional staff to find the right attorney near you.
ICO Investigation Powers - impact of the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill

The proof's in our experience

  • Duckhams managing the company’s global trade mark portfolio
  • Barbour as exclusive portfolio manager for its global trade mark applications
  • Buckler Boots on its registered design protection portfolio and intellectual property rights issue
  • Sterling Pharma Solutions on all aspects of intellectual property protection
  • Ergochair on delivery of an IP Audit and IP Management recommendations
Testimonials

"We are delighted with the court's decision, which vindicates the protection of our intellectual property and encourages innovation. It has been a pleasure working with the WBD team." 

Gordon Donald, Managing Director at Geofabrics

“Lovely people to work with, great attention, good and strategic advice, a very good counsel.” 

Legal 500