Patents

• The Road to IPO: Legal and Regulatory Insights into Going Public

  06/21/2013

  The 2013 IPO market saw the largest number of September IPOs since 2000, ending the month with 20 IPOs—the second highest monthly total since the end of 2010—despite being dormant in the two weeks following Labor Day. The month’s total was triple the September average over the past ten years.

• Attorney-Client Privilege When Using a Patent Agent

  05/20/2013

  Hiring patent agents—persons who do not hold a license to practice law but are licensed to practice in front of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)—can be an attractive alternative to more costly patent attorneys. Typically, patent agents can have all of the experience and skills necessary to prosecute patents at the USPTO, but often work at discounted rates in comparison to their attorney brethren. Thus, as companies continue to strive toward lean operation, patent agent hiring may increase. This practice, however, is not without risk. Notably, and as addressed in this article, attorney-client privilege may not attach to patent agent work, even when that work is solely related to representation at the USPTO.