Patent Prosecution and Licensing

Schiff Hardin has a strong team of skilled and experienced patent lawyers who are admitted to practice before both the United States and Canadian Patent and Trademark Offices. They devote their full-time efforts to the preparation, prosecution, licensing, and enforcement of intellectual property rights. Their activities also include the preparation of confidential disclosure agreements, along with the conduct of validity and infringement searches, reexamination and reissue proceedings.

We have an especially strong grounding in the chemical, electronics, electrical engineering, and mechanical fields and significant experience with business method patents. Our reputation for high quality work is recognized by clients throughout the world.

While our patent prosecution activity is focused in the United States, we also handle the filing, prosecution, and maintenance of a large number of cases in foreign countries. In connection with such activities, we have established working relations with counterpart patent prosecution firms throughout the world.

In addition to our activities in procuring patent rights, Schiff Hardin lawyers regularly analyze and prepare licenses for such rights. These include royalty-bearing and paid-up licenses as well as cross-licensing and combinations. As an adjunct to these activities, we also are active in creating agreements for the protection of trade secrets.