University

Universities and teaching institutions often have unique concerns related to intellectual property (IP) when compared to private industry. Our University Group is sensitive to these concerns and is dedicated to working with such academic institutions as a partner in assisting with intellectual property protection and providing educational services.

Our University Group works with many universities located in the United States and overseas and understands the challenges of protecting early-stage technologies in a cost-efficient manner.  Additionally, we understand the regulatory, contractual and budgetary challenges often faced by Universities.  The University Group provides flexible fee arrangements, when necessary, to ensure that our academic institutional partners are able to protect their valuable intellectual property.  We provide on-campus educational programs to members of the teaching and administrative staff to aid technology transfer personnel in conveying the importance of adequate disclosure, timing of IP filings and accurate ownership determinations to the campus community.

HRFM is a full-service intellectual property law firm skilled at all aspects of intellectual property law, including the procurement and protection of patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets.  The University Group is comprised of professionals who possess a wide range of technical experience and insight, including working in a technology transfer office and conducting academic research.  This experience results in the ability to provide enhanced benefits to our University clients. Members of the group have technology expertise that includes biotechnology, biomedical engineering, chemistry, computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical arts and nanotechnology, and we collaborate on those cross-disciplinary technologies often produced by university inventors.

Examples of IP legal services that have been provided in the past to our University clients include:

• Agreement drafting and review, including License Agreements, Sponsored or Joint Research Agreements, Material Transfer Agreements and Non-disclosure Agreements;
• Disclosure review and vetting;
• Pre-patent filing strategizing;
• Patent and trademark prosecution, copyright registration and know-how/trade secret protection;
• Advice and guidance with regard to university spin-out companies;
• License negotiation assistance;
• Trademark branding strategy;
• Litigation; and
• Litigation cost review and monitoring.

Our University Group would welcome the opportunity to discuss with you how we can help protect your institution’s intellectual property.