The Manager's Guide to Intellectual Property (Paperback)

Written by respected intellectual property lawyer Jeffrey Sheldon, The Manager's Guide to Intellectual Property is designed to help business executives and entrepreneurs understand the basics concepts of intellectual property and know when to call in the intellectual property attorneys to assist.Whether you're selecting a patent, registering a trademark or negotiating a license, quickly gain the information you need to know to protect your company's ideas and - equally as important - avoid infringing on the exclusive rights of others. One use of this book could save you thousands - even millions - in lost opportunities and costly lawsuits. If you're starting a new business, considering a new product line, purchasing a business, checking the health of your company or investing in research and development, make The Manager's Guide to Intellectual Property your starting point. You won't find the minutiae of the law covered here. Rather, you'll find easy-to-understand explanations of U.S. laws and how the U.S. legal system works along with practical tools and checklists you can apply in your day-to-day operation. Keep this handy book on your desk for quick and current coverage of the key problem areas in intellectual property - including: Patents: What can be patented, types of patent applications, the patent process, avoiding patent infringement, challenging the validity of a patent Trade secrets: Trade secret protection vs patent protection, covenants not to compete, avoiding a trade secret infringement claim Selecting and protecting trademarks: How to select a distinctive mark, trademark searches and likelihood of confusion, how to federal register a trademark, keeping your registration alive Copyrights: What works can and cannot be copyrighted, how long a copyright lasts, copyright infringement, the rights of the copyright owners Agreements: Examples of restrictive agreements, indemnity, representative confidentiality agreements Licensing: When a license makes business sense, negotiating the license, license vs assignment Enforcement of intellectual property rights: Controlling litigation rights, insurance for intellectual property infringement, who can bring suits, remedies