Patent

In counseling clients in all aspects of patent law, our overriding goal is to deliver results that are cost-effective and commercially significant. We listen to our clients, understand their business issues and goals, and provide advice that is tailored to their specific needs, opportunities, impediments, plans, and objectives.

Our clients appreciate the depth and breadth of our expertise in their industries and technologies. From antibodies, adhesives, and alternative energy to wireless networks, wind power, and web servers—and everything in between—we provide sophisticated and strategic advice that maximizes the value of our clients’ innovations and gives them a competitive advantage. As one indication of our level of experience, we filed 2320 patent applications in over 130 countries in 2009, more than any New England law firm devoted exclusively to IP law.

For more information on our patent practice within our specific technical disciplines, please go to any of the following profiles:

Biotechnology
Chemical & Materials Technologies
Cleantech
Electrical & Computer Technologies
Mechanical Technologies
Nanotechnology
Pharmaceutical

 

Our Services

We counsel clients in all areas of patent law, including:

Acquisition of Rights

  • Strategic counseling on cost-effective patent portfolio development
  • Deciding whether to seek patent protection
  • Establishing invention record-keeping procedures
  • Conducting patentability and prior art searches and opinions
  • Preparing / prosecuting patent applications in all technologies
  • Interference practice
  • Re-examination and reissue application practice
  • Advice on acquiring patents
  • Patent portfolio due diligence
  • Providing international filing strategies and execution
  • Patent maintenance and annuity services

Exploitation of Rights

Defensive Activities

  • Competitive intelligence and monitoring services
  • Conducting right to use searches
  • Non-infringement and invalidity opinions
  • Design around strategies
  • Risk transfer strategies
  • Resolving disputes with patent owners
Newsstand
July 7, 2010 - A Wolf Greenfield Webinar: Forecasting the Future of Method Patents Post-Bilski — archived replay of webinar now available

June 28, 2010 - CLIENT ALERT— Supreme Court Leaves Door Open to Business Method Patents

June 17, 2010 - WOLF GREENFIELD SEMINAR: Strategically Building and Monetizing a Patent Portfolio - replay now available

March 19, 2010 - False or Expired Patent Numbers on Products Can Cause $500-Per-Article Fines

March 18, 2010 - CLIENT ALERT— Rising Risks of False Marking – Reducing Your Exposure

March 10, 2010 - Steve Henry and Ed Perlman presented at Brown University

February 26, 2010 - Wolf Greenfield wins key claim construction ruling for The Jackson Laboratory

February 19, 2010 - More Organizations Ask PTO to Recalculate Term Adjustments

February 2010 - Patent Primer for Inventors

January 2010 - Securing a Loan With Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights Is Best for Lenders

December 2009 - Diversify Your Patent Portfolio with Design Patents

October 15, 2009 - CLIENT ALERT — USPTO Rescinds Controversial Rules Restricting Patent Applications

October 2009 - Court Case on Patent Delays Holds Appeal for Industry

September 25, 2009 - Lack of timing awareness can mean missed revenue

August 2009 - Recalculating Patent Term Adjustments

July 2009 - Diversify Your Medical Device Patent Portfolio with Design Patents

June 10, 2009 - Outsourcing Without Ousting Your Patent Rights

March 25, 2009 - CLIENT ALERT — Federal Circuit Decision on Controversial PTO Rules

March 17, 2009 - CLIENT ALERT — Patent Reform Act of 2009 Introduced in Congress

January 2009 - Patent Reexaminations Boom as a Strategy to Fight Infringement Charges

December 20, 2008 - Turning Your Innovations into a Successful Business

September 30, 2008 - CLIENT ALERT — Federal Circuit Eliminates “Point of Novelty” Test for Design Patent Infringement

August 2008 - Wolf Greenfield wins three more years of patent protection for Shire Pharmaceuticals' ELAPRASE treatment

July 1, 2008 - Supreme Court Expands 'Exhaustion' Doctrine: Patent Owners' Right to Collect Downstream Royalties Restricted

June 30, 2008 - Supreme Court Expands Exhaustion Doctrine

June 12, 2008 - Amicus brief filed for In re Engage, Inc.

June 11, 2008 - Supreme Court Expands Exhaustion Doctrine and Restricts Patent Owners From Collecting Downstream Royalties

June 11, 2008 - CLIENT ALERT — Supreme Court Expands Exhaustion Doctrine and Restricts Patent Owners From Collecting Downstream Royalties

June 9, 2008 - No Downstream Royalties for LG: High Court

June 6, 2008 - It's a Small World After All in Terms of Rising IP Risks

June 3, 2008 - Legal Climate for Open-Source Users Changes with Litigation and License Revisions, Wolf Greenfield Lawyer Writes in IP Law & Business

April 30, 2008 - Industry Insights: PTO's Potential Next Moves

April 22, 2008 - Apple Seeks Patent on iPhone Instant Messenging

April 21, 2008 - Snake Antivenom Can Be Patented, But Hold the Peanut Butter

April 14, 2008 - Tafas Decision Sparks Hope IDS Rules Also Doomed

April 11, 2008 - "Patent Issues & Potential Problems" – Invention to Venture Conference / University of Vermont

April 10, 2008 - UMass Amherst Entrepreneurship Initiative

April 7, 2008 - Amicus brief filed for In re Bilski

April 4, 2008 - Corporations Escape Patent Threat

April 3, 2008 - CLIENT ALERT — Court Strikes Down Controversial Patent Office Rules on Continuation Applications and Claims

April 2, 2008 - Court Strikes Down Controversial Patent Office Rules on Continuation Applications and Claims

March 4, 2008 - Changes to European Patent Practice: New Claim Fees and the London Agreement

March 4, 2008 - CLIENT ALERT — Changes to European Patent Practice: New Claim Fees and the London Agreement

March 2008 - Top Trends in Intellectual Property Law for 2008

March 2008 - File European Patents Now to Beat April 1 Fee

February 11, 2008 - Top IP Law Issues for 2008 Covered by Wolf Greenfield in Mass High Tech Article

February 7, 2008 - An Entrepreneur's Guide to the Intellectual Property Galaxy

February 1, 2008 - Planning Practical Patent Protection

January 17, 2008 - Intellectual Property Considerations in Entrepreneurship

January 6, 2008 - Technology Innovation Challenge

November 16, 2007 - USPTO Issues New Guidelines for Determining "Obviousness" After Supreme Court's KSR Decision

November 16, 2007 - CLIENT ALERT — USPTO Issues New Guidelines for Determining "Obviousness" After Supreme Court’s KSR Decision

November 1, 2007 - Update on Implementation of New USPTO Rules

October 31, 2007 - Court Stops Implementation of New USPTO Rules

October 16, 2007 - CLIENT ALERT - The New Rules: Strategies, Pitfalls, and Actions to Consider Immediately

October 11, 2007 - Patent Rules, Laws and Decisions: The Times They are a-Changin'

September 2007 - Pharma Patents and Licensing Are Transformed by Landmark 2007 Court Decisions, Wolf Greenfield Lawyer Tells American Chemical Society

August 28, 2007 - Federal Circuit Rewrites Law of Willful Infringement in Seagate Decision

August 28, 2007 - CLIENT ALERT — Federal Circuit Rewrites Law of Willful Infringement in Seagate Decision

August 27, 2007 - PTO Issues Much Anticipated New Rules on Continuation Applications and Claims

May 9, 2007 - Supreme Court Decision in KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc. on "Obviousness"

May 9, 2007 - CLIENT ALERT — Supreme Court Decision in KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc. on "Obviousness"

May 7, 2007 - CLIENT ALERT — Supreme Court Decision in Microsoft Corp. v. AT&T Corp. on Enforcement of Patents Containing Software Outside U.S.

May 2007 - Is it "Obvious"?: Long-Awaited Patent Decision Leaves Lawyers Scratching their Heads

May 2007 - Is Patent Litigation Worth It?

April 20, 2007 - CLIENT ALERT — Federal Circuit Decision Creates New Risks for Patentees But is Boon to Prospective Licensees

April 2007 - Federal Circuit Decision Creates New Risks for Patentees But is Boon to Prospective Licensees

March 29, 2007 - Wolf Greenfield Client Diomed Holdings Wins $12.5 Million Award in Patent Case - Jury Finds Two Defendants Infringed Patent for Varicose Vein Treatment

February 21, 2007 - Intellectual Property: A New Source of Wealth and Power

January 24, 2007 - Acquiring Minds Want to Know: IP Due Diligence for Investors and Entrepreneurs

October 18, 2006 - Wolf Greenfield Webinar – "Digging Deep into Patent Interferences: What Every Counsel Needs to Know"

August 1, 2006 - CLIENT ALERT — New Rules on Accelerated Examinations

June 22, 2006 - Supreme Court Dismisses Case Involving Patentability of Natural Phenomena

June 12, 2006 - Companies sigh relief from Supreme Court's eBay decision

June 8, 2006 - Building the Patent Litigation War Chest: Enforcing Rights While Managing Costs

June 2006 - Cos. Sigh Relief from Supreme Court’s eBay Decision

March 3, 2006 - CLIENT ALERT — Supreme Court Loosens Patent Licensing and Sales Rules

Q&A Booklet - Q&A on Patents

Q&A Booklet - Q&A on Intellectual Property Litigation

Q&A Booklet - Q&A on Licensing and Transactions