Practice Areas
Gifford Krass specializes in intellectual property law, including protecting all aspects of our clients’ rights in the fields of trademarks, patents, copyrights, trade secrets and unfair competition, licensing and litigation. Gifford Krass does not take a “cookie cutter” approach to intellectual property work, but instead sees each project as an opportunity to assist in obtaining intellectual property protection tailored to the clients’ needs. Our attorneys provide highly responsive and effective service to clients in virtually all areas of technology, with extensive experience in the high-tech fields of biotechnology, chemical, mechanical, computer, materials and electrical engineering. Gifford Krass works diligently to protect our clients’ major investments in intellectual property, domestically and in the international marketplace.
Patents
At Gifford Krass, we provide our clients with a full range of patent-related services, including patentability searches, technology evaluations, application drafting, prosecution in the United States, PCT and foreign jurisdictions, appeals, interferences, validity and infringement analysis and tracking of critical due dates. Our approach includes a global patent strategy and cost-saving filing strategies to reduce the soaring cost of foreign patent protection.
Trademarks
Gifford Krass attorneys are experienced at effectively advising clients prior to trademark selection, as well as protecting their rights at all levels, on a global level, once their trademarks are used. Gifford Krass provides experienced advocacy to assist our clients in protecting their marks worldwide, and to address trademark disputes at all levels including registration, infringement and counterfeiting. The firm has extensive experience obtaining federal injunctive relief to bring an end to unlawful use of its clients’ marks.
Copyright
Gifford Krass works closely with our clients to encourage federal registration of copyrighted works where appropriate, including extensive protection of clients’ rights in architectural works. We assist our clients in protecting against infringement, and work to obtain injunctive relief, through federal court as well as at U.S. borders, to prevent unauthorized copying.
Trade Secrets and Unfair Competition
A company's trade secrets can be its most valued assets. Our attorneys protect proprietary information and trade secrets against theft or unfair competition, including nondisclosure, noncompetition, anti-solicitation and anti-piracy issues. By combining patent, trademark and copyright protection to ensure that trade secrets are not lost to competitors, we uphold our clients’ competitive edge.
Licensing
At Gifford Krass, we are experienced in drafting technology licenses that transfer patent, copyright and trademark rights to a second party on an exclusive or non-exclusive basis. We advise clients on domestic and international transactions encompassing patent and technology licensing, research and development, collaboration, confidentiality, and strategic alliances, as well as acquisitions and sales of intellectual property assets.
Litigation
Litigation frequently arises in the course of protecting against the infringement or misappropriation of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, and in matters of licensing and unfair competition. Gifford Krass attorneys seek to avoid the high cost of litigation by conducting extensive research and meticulously preparing the necessary paperwork on behalf of every client. When disputes do arise, our highly experienced litigators are able to draw upon their diverse technical backgrounds and a depth of resources to expeditiously bring disputes to successful resolution.
Client Counseling
At Gifford Krass, we are experienced in counseling our clients regarding technical legal matters that affect their businesses. We work with our clients as partners to develop an IP strategy that meets their short-term and long-term business goals and objectives, maximizes their return on investment and minimizes potential risk.
Specialties
Our attorneys have earned degrees in diverse fields including chemistry, materials science and engineering, neuroscience, physiology, and biochemistry, among others. A particular strength of Gifford Krass is evident in the number of practioners holding Ph.D. degrees and who received post-doctoral training. While we believe these credentials are evidence of the depth of knowledge and skill that these individuals have attained, we have found that the significant practical lab experience inherent in this training also provides significant advantages in communicating with inventors. Our attorneys’ technical backgrounds provide the knowledge and experience to be successful in these complex, highly specialized areas of intellectual property law.
Gifford Krass has an especially strong capability in biotechnology-related disciplines, broadly including biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, genomics, immunology, neuroscience and biophysics. Specific areas of expertise include nucleic acid-based technologies such as vector technology, gene expression systems, antisense and modified oligonucleotides, proteomics, antibody technologies, and small molecule pharmaceuticals. Members of our group also have significant experience with biomedical devices and processes, including surgical devices, biosensor technology and bioimaging material and techniques.
Gifford Krass’s attorneys and agents also have extensive experience in Molecular Biology. Members of the Molecular Biology group have broad theoretical understanding and/or practical experience in numerous areas of molecular biology, including nucleic acid-based technologies such as vector technologies, gene expression systems, cloning, amplification techniques, transfection, antisense nucleic acids and siRNA technologies.