Tom Lebens is our resident legal expert when it comes to tech and the business world. Recently he provided us with a much needed update on Intellectual Property Rights for any current or aspiring business owner.
Intellectual property is the core source of value and competitive advantage for many businesses as we navigate our knowledge economy. Much has changed in, for example, the patent law since Tom last spoke with SOFTEC, both in the legal landscape, with the adoption of the American Invents Act and the first to file patent system, the creation of the provisional patent application, changes in how software patents are viewed by the courts, and changes in enforcement options for small and medium-sized businesses.
At the same time intellectual property remains the constraint that drives creativity in many instances. At the same time, the process and cost of preparing intellectual property documents are changing with the introduction of new technologies that assist (and sometimes replace) attorneys, agents, and technical writers. Tom will share how these technologies are being deployed in his office and his thoughts as to what this means for the future.
Tom is a veteran presenter at TechBrew, and also has a long history of participating with Softec.
His slidedeck for his presentation can be found here:
What is Intellectual Property — Small Business IP Strategy 2017-11-13