Intellectual Property

We provide a complete range of legal services for clients active in the technology and intellectual property sectors to protect and maximize the potential value of their intellectual property assets. 

Richards Buell Sutton LLP provides a complete range of legal services for clients active in the technology and intellectual property sectors to protect and maximize the potential value of their intellectual property assets.  We can assist you with advice and representation in relation to: corporate financing and setting up business structures and relationships; commercializing your products and introducing them to the market; protecting or defending your intellectual property rights; attracting and keeping skilled employees; and accommodating growth and restructuring.

What We Do

Our Intellectual Property Group frequently addresses a wide variety of issues that affect clients operating in the technology and intellectual property sectors including:

Life Science, Bio-Technology and Technology Transfer

  • Patent and technology licensing agreements
  • Start up, growth and restructuring of bio-tech companies
  • Research collaborations, sponsored research and secondment of professionals between institutions and industry

Internet Laws & E-commerce

  • Start-up issues including financing, corporate structure and employment infrastructure
  • Trade-marks, domain names, copyright and patents
  • Marketing, terms of use, privacy policies, nondisclosure agreements and online liability
  • Online licensing, distribution, e-commerce and other technology transfer agreements
  • Mergers and acquisitions involving companies with internet-related assets

Application Service Providers (ASP) and Software Licensing Transactions

  • Protecting intellectual property assets in the hardware, software and internet industries
  • Advice on technology transfers, product commercialization, sale and distribution to end users, preferred marketing relationships, joint ventures and collaborations
  • Advising clients developing software from ASPs in the gaming industry, to online merchandising and retailing and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
  • Negotiating OEM, reseller and sales representative agreements

Trade-marks and Domain Names

  • Registration, protection and licensing of trademarks for national and international clientele
  • Trademark dispute resolution, infringement matters and passing-off
  • Domain name registration, transfer and disputes

Securities and Corporate Finance

  • Advice, strategy and assistance drafting corporate documents relating to options for financing business ventures, structuring and restructuring
  • Corporate securities matters including IPOs

Employment Issues

  • Assistance in managing general employee relations, including employee policies, compensation and discipline
  • Advising on employment issues unique to the technology and intellectual property sectors, including advice regarding the assignment of inventions, and employment, consulting, noncompete and confidentiality agreements

What You Can Expect From Us

Our firm advises clients on all aspects of licensing, technology transfers and we have extensive experience dealing with transfers between institutions (e.g., universities, colleges, health care agencies and research facilities) and business interests operating in the life sciences and software industries. Our lawyers and trade-mark professionals also frequently assist clients in negotiating and drafting agreements relating to the development and use of technologies in the retail, resource and manufacturing sectors.

We have industry specific knowledge and our group includes lawyers focused on financing and securities, employment law and intellectual property law. Our diversity of experience means our clients are well equipped to deal with the full range of legal issues they may face.