5 Questions to Consider When Looking for an Intellectual Property Law Firm
Finding the right legal partner for your intellectual property law needs is a process you must take seriously. When it comes to IPR (intellectual property rights), establishing a great partnership with your legal counsel is no easy feat, but it certainly helps to know what to look for when trying to find an IP law firm to partner with.
The intellectual property you seek to develop or protect should be in trusted hands. There are many law firms to choose from but not all law firms have the expertise required to deal with intellectual property law matters successfully.
Selecting an IP law firm to work with must be a strategic decision for creators or inventors seeking help. That’s why we’ve put together a list of 5 questions to consider when finding an intellectual property law firm:
Question 1: Is Intellectual Property their specialty?
Intellectual property law protects the works of creators and inventors through patents, copyright, trademarks, and trade secret protection. IP law not only protects these creations but also enforces the rights of creators.
The first thing you must check is if the law firm you’re considering specializes in intellectual property. Always make sure the law firms you’re considering have seasoned IP attorneys as part of their team.
Question 2: How much experience do their IP attorneys have in your background? How long have they worked in the field?
Depending on what your project requires, as well as the industry or field you’re in, you’re going to want to make sure that the team you select has enough experience in the areas most relevant to you whether it’s patent law, or copyright law, or trademark law.
Always check the background of the firm's IP attorneys to get a better perspective of how long they have worked in the field and how well they may or may not know your industry. If you need an experienced patent attorney, but the law firm has limited experience with patents because it mainly focuses on trademark law, you might want to explore a few other options before deciding on that one.
Question 3: Do they understand your business and your specific need for Intellectual Property?
Just like hiring employees who have a background highly compatible with your business is a clever and strategic move, working with an intellectual property law firm that understands your business needs is going to give you an edge when it comes to IPR.
An IP law firm experienced in your field will be able to give much more relevant counsel that comes from a good understanding of the background, needs, and usual challenges unique to that specific industry or field. You want to address your intellectual property rights with professionals that can provide counsel not only with diligence but expertise also.
Question 4: Can their work structure adapt to your business needs? (e.g., Is it a one-size-fits-all, or is their service tailored to you?)
IP law firms may operate in different ways and as a potential client, you must ask yourself if they adapt to your business needs. If your project is too specific and needs special attention or a dedicated process, you won’t succeed working with an IP attorney who uses a cookie-cutter approach for their IP law services.
Make a list of your unique needs and find an intellectual property law firm whose work structure adapts to you and your requirements. Corroborating this compatibility will save you both time and money.
Question 5: Does their company culture match your company culture?
The last question you must ask yourself is important to make sure you can build a lasting work relationship with the IP law firm you choose. To establish a successful working partnership, you must assess their company culture and see how it compares to your company culture. What is their definition of value? And is that how you define value too?
When placing your trust and creations in a patent or IP attorney, you must be confident they have your best interest in mind and will use that as a guiding principle when working with you. Think of your IP law firm as a trusted business advisor, one that needs to provide the appropriate level of support for your project depending on your business needs for both the short and long term.
Finding the right intellectual property law firm for you is a process you must take seriously and cautiously as they will become trusted advisors for your business. We hope this list of 5 questions to consider when finding an intellectual property law firm is helpful for your search.
If you’re looking for an intellectual property law firm, contact us!
ADVENT is an intellectual property law firm located in Omaha, NE that has creativity as part of its DNA. As an IP law firm, we broke the mold of the traditional law firm model to bring greater alignment with the needs of our clients by eliminating the billable hour.