In 2013, the United States converted from a “first to invent” patent system to a “first to file” patent system. Under the “first to file” system, if two inventors filed separate patent applications on the same invention, the inventor who filed first would receive the patent. This is true even if the inventor who filed later was first to conceive the invention. Although the “first-to-file” system seems to encourage a “file early, file often” approach, there are a number of factors to consider when deciding when to file a patent application in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Peter Lee, a Board Member at Attivio, explains how they have pioneered a way to bring contextual relevance to any kind of information search, which has allowed Attivio to be recognized by Gartner and Forrester as one of the leaders in the information search space. The development of Attivio garnered the attention of ServiceNow, which acquired Attivio back in October of 2019. It’s now being fully incorporated into the ServiceNow suite of products so that as customers come into the workflow, they’re able to see everything associated with the customer records.
Not infrequently, businesses find themselves enmeshed in disputes that cannot be resolved through informal negotiation. Those disputes can always be litigated in the courts, but the path to resolution is often time-consuming and expensive. In recent decades, the burdensome nature of litigation has led many businesses and their in-house counsel to consider alternative dispute resolution, or “ADR,” as a way to avoid the court system.
Adam Romanow remembers conceptualizing Castle Island Brewing Co. on paper back in 2011and it wasn’t until 2013-2014 that things began coming together. When looking for space to open the brewery he wanted it to be in South Boston because he’s a South Boston resident. Yet, as the search continued, the real estate didn’t fit the bill. What Adam envisioned for Castle Island required large-scale manufacturing and South Boston didn’t cater to this need.
The short answer is yes. The 2018 change in Massachusetts’ noncompetition laws leveled the playing field for employees, but employers should not abandon this important tool for protecting trade secrets and proprietary information when appropriate.
as at a party a few years back and struck up a conversation with the general counsel of a medium-sized privately held company. The discussion eventually turned to my practice: “litigator” I replied. This often inspires a step back – I mean that literally. This GC had one of the best responses I’d ever heard, and I’ve heard my fair share. “I know I need a litigator the way I’ll know I need an oncologist – something really bad has happened.” I smiled at that. There are few things I like more than a quick wit, and this GC had it. But she got me thinking (occupational hazard).
Imagine selling stock in a corporation for several million dollars and paying exactly $0 of federal income tax. Sound too good to be true? While such an outcome seems like fantasy or even an illicit tax scheme, it is completely legal and even encouraged under Internal Revenue Code Section 1202. Entrepreneurs and other investors who hold stock […]
Tell Us About the Archer Roose Journey Marian Leitner has always loved stories and has always described herself, first and foremost, as a storyteller. Wine, to Marian, is just that – a story. Humans have been fermenting fruit for nearly as long as we’ve been gathering it and. As Marian shared, “There’s nothing more human […]
Patents can be used to protect your innovations. There are different types of patents that can be obtained through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). In particular, utility patents are used to protect new and useful processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof. Design patents can protect the shape and/or surface ornamentation of a manufactured article.
The Nested Bean Journey Manasi Gangan started her journey in a corporate environment, on track to become a software developer and later a product manager. Despite her enjoyment in the field, something was still missing… which she defined as her desire for making a wider impact. “I wanted to create something that was of meaning, […]
Last week I met with an entrepreneur whose young company has a validated business model and revenue model and a group of angels ready to invest. She handed me a sheet of paper with the names of three accounting firms on it. “Which one of these firms should I use?” she asked. My answer may surprise you.
For many companies, especially those offering a SaaS platform, the Terms of Use (or Terms and Conditions of Service) and Privacy Policy serve as the primary agreements between the company and its end users, whether an end user’s access is provided through a customer’s corporate enterprise account or an individual account. So it is vital to know the basics concepts of these agreements and appreciate the role they play for your company.
When founders are seeking their first financing following efforts to self-fund or “bootstrap,” they typically turn to the “friends and family” round, which ideally serves as a bridge to a subsequent round of funding from institutional investors like angels or venture capitalists.
You’ve got a potential buyer, and they suggest that you structure the deal as an asset sale. Should you care?
Your company may have one, two, twelve, or a thousand shareholders. No matter the number, shareholders dictate the direction of the company by majority consensus. When things are going well, everyone benefits, but what happens when disagreements emerge? This article will identify common causes of shareholder disputes, offer potential solutions, and propose preventative measures.