International Intellectual Property

Protecting intellectual property rights is a top concern for international businesses, as they must safeguard their trademarks, patents, copyrights, industrial designs, trade dress, and trade secrets across international borders. However, different jurisdictions may have varying intellectual property laws, and international treaties only offer so much assistance in broadening the scope of protection of certain international intellectual property rights.

A substantial portion of a business's value is based on intangible assets, including goodwill. In this regard, intellectual property rights play a key role in helping a business maintain a competitive advantage through commercialization and enforcement.

International intellectual property law involves public international law instruments, such as treaties, and institutions which assist in implementing certain of those instruments with a view to seeking the protection of intellectual property across international borders.

Intellectual property has become a concept by which its holders often seek to ensure their competitive position internationally. Holders must actively seek to register, license and enforce their intellectual property rights using the existing rules to secure protection and ensure those rights are meaningful and significant.

Intellectual property rules sometimes change rapidly. Keeping up with those changes is paramount to maintaining a business brand’s competitive advantage.

We can help draft intellectual property clauses that safeguard your trademarks, patents, copyrights, industrial designs, trade dress and trade secrets when entering into agreements with parties based abroad. We can also assist with registering and enforcing your intellectual property rights in different jurisdictions.

Sometimes, however, international intellectual property protection is not needed for certain businesses. At Kramer International Law, we first learn about a business’s goals, and only recommend international intellectual property protection where it will likely bring real business benefits.