Intellectual Property
Varnum’s intellectual property lawyers do what it takes to protect clients’ ideas and products
Your company may have developed the newest technology and the most innovative products, but if they’re not properly protected, you may as well invite your competitors to help themselves to the profits. In today’s market, intellectual property is one of your most valuable assets.
Varnum’s intellectual property lawyers do what it takes to protect clients’ ideas and products. This may mean counseling clients about domestic and foreign patents, trademarks, copyrights, industrial design, trade secrets, unfair competition and computer law or rolling up our sleeves and getting involved in product development. Other times it means pursuing litigation.
Our litigation group is strong and far-reaching. We have patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret litigation experience in diverse and complex technologies.
Our knowledge of diverse engineering disciplines helps us as we engage in the full scope of intellectual property services, including:
- Patentability, state-of-the-art, infringement and validity opinions
- U.S. and foreign patent protection
- Trademark registration, clearance and licensing
- Intellectual property contract drafting and negotiation
- State and federal court litigation
- Technology transfers
- Proprietary rights and employment agreements
- Joint venture agreements
- Computer hardware and software agreements
- Protection of trade secrets, know-how, software and confidential business information
- High-tech patent protection
- Intellectual property auditing and portfolio management
- Copyright protection
Computer Law
Our computer law practice began in the early 1980s, with the rise of the personal computer industry. Today, it is a dynamic subset of our intellectual property law practice, led by attorneys with strong technology and intellectual property backgrounds.
The team offers comprehensive services, including:
- Computer-related agreements
- Software consulting and development agreements
- Software licensing
- Support and maintenance agreements
- Service bureau and OEM/distributor arrangements
- Computer contract litigation
- Patent and copyright software protection programs
- System sales and acquisitions
Because our high-tech clients often face legal issues beyond the scope of computer law, we also work closely with attorneys in Varnum's other practice areas. In fact, the firm developed a proficient immigration law practice in response to the needs of a number of technology clients.
Life Sciences Law
The future of our good health depends on innovators like you, and you can depend on us. We understand that you must distill success from a complicated formula consisting of regulatory, intellectual property, business and finance elements. We innovate with you in the startup stage and support you in success. We know the life sciences industry in the United States and abroad.
Varnum lends its practical, problem-solving experience to a variety of biotechnology companies in a broad range of life sciences issues. We assist companies who are involved in medical device manufacturing, contract research, health technology, medical research, diagnostics and genomics at all stages of product development and use.
We are experienced in:
- Public and private equity, venture capital, and debt financings
- Mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures
- Tax and day-to-day corporate issues
- Manufacturing and supply-chain management
- Intellectual property
- FDA compliance
- International business advice and regulatory compliance
- Clinical trial and research issues
- Fraud and abuse avoidance
- Insurance and reimbursement
Our Health and Life Sciences Practice Team includes attorneys with engineering and other advanced technical degrees. The team also integrates attorneys who are experienced in related fields of law. In particular, our team maintains close ties with angel, venture capital and private equity investors interested in biotechnology and life sciences companies in various stages of maturity.
When you work with a Varnum attorney, you have access to the full resources of the firm. With each and every client, our goal is to provide the very best advice and highest-quality legal services, meeting your deadlines in a cost-effective manner.
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“Varnum lawyers are truly concerned with how our business is doing and proactively make recommendations for us to consider.”
President, designer and manufacturer of energy equipment