Electrical, Computer, and Software

Overview

Electrical, computer, and software technologies are integral to much of modern life, from networking and web services to security systems, analytics, and mechanical applications. Meunier Carlin & Curfman helps establish and protect the intellectual property rights that technology companies rely on to compete in the modern marketplace.

Our clients have a wide range of intellectual property challenges and strategies. For example, large corporations, ranging from Fortune 100 firms to established technology companies, may be focused on IP portfolio management, with concerns about which of their innovations should be patented, notably in relation to the strategic position of their competitors. Smaller companies and emerging ventures are often focused on raising capital, proving to potential acquirers that their technologies have real value in the competitive landscape, or acquiring IP to build their own niche. We can help you address these challenges as your strategic partner.

Intellectual Property Services for Technology Innovators

MCC assists across all these IP legal needs – from patent procurement and portfolio management to client counseling. We handle:

• Patent Preparation and Prosecution, including conducting initial inventor disclosure meetings, assessing prior art, drafting applications, developing claim strategies, responding to office actions, and preparing appeal briefs
• Patent Portfolio Management and Strategy, including providing strategic IP advice for commercialization and exit strategy, alternative IP protection, competitor analysis, and planning for future technologies
• IP Due Diligence and Transactional Intellectual Property Matters, including licensing, transactional IP provisions in sales, purchase and merger agreements, and confidentiality agreements
• Trade Secret, Copyright, and Trademark Protection, including counseling about when confidential and proprietary information should be protected under non-patent forms of protection
• Opinions, including freedom to operate, clearance searching, and litigation-related analysis
• Open Source Software, including code review, use and redistribution of open source software, and balancing patent protection with open source license restrictions

Lawyers Who Understand Technology

Of crucial importance to our clients is that, in addition to our legal know-how, we speak their language: the language of technology. Our attorneys understand the technical intricacies of electrical and software innovations and patents, having earned degrees in electrical and computer engineering, worked as engineers and scientists, and worked as in-house intellectual property counsel at technology-driven companies. We take pride in keeping abreast of emerging technology issues and maintain memberships in the Technology Association of Georgia, Venture Café Philadelphia, IEEE, and other technology-oriented associations in the South and Mid-Atlantic.

Our work in intellectual property law spans the full range of electrical, computer, and software technologies, including:

• Software, including web services, SaaS, data analytics, APIs and protocols, cryptography, blockchain, machine learning, artificial intelligence, neural networking, and deep learning
• Networking Technologies, both hardware and software, as well as cloud computing, enterprise IT systems, contact centers, and network infrastructure and monitoring technologies
• Medical Devices and Wearable Electronics, notably the software and analytics side of these disciplines, including advanced analytics and real-time monitoring of the human body
• Network Security, cybersecurity including malware detection, network breach protection, access and authentication, and software that monitors the health of networks
• Telecommunications and Communications Systems, including cellular and satellite communications, Internet technologies, streaming applications, and wired and wireless technologies
• Electrical and Software Systems and Mechanical Applications, such as electric motors, switch gears, display panels, gaming devices, consumer electronics, and electric and autonomous vehicles
• Power, Battery, and Backup Technologies, including battery storage

Cross-Border IP Experience

Meunier Carlin & Curfman handles inbound IP matters for foreign parent companies and subsidiaries based in Europe and Asia, notably in Japan, Korea, and China. We value our relationships with clients outside the United States and work hand-in-hand with a network of foreign associate law firms to ensure that issues such as patent preparation and prosecutions are handled with the utmost care.