Intellectual Property
Because of our manufacturing clients' emphasis on innovation, intellectual property is one of the most important aspects of their businesses. A manufacturer's patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets are at the core of their business identity, and we understand manufacturing clients' need to create, protect and defend their intellectual property rights.
We obtain, defend and enforce patents, trademarks and copyrights in the United States and throughout the world. Baker Donelson attorneys have developed relationships with intellectual property lawyers in 11 major foreign countries, and we have facilitated applications, patents and registration of trademarks in more than 80 foreign jurisdictions.
We approach our clients' concerns in a practical way, coupling our knowledge and technical experience to achieve effective results. As an IP boutique housed in a full-service business law firm, we manage client assets in the context of the clients' comprehensive business and competition strategy. We offer strategy for resolving difficult freedom-to-operate obstacles, negotiating licensing and material transfer agreements, and effectively utilizing existing intellectual property portfolios to strengthen clients' competitive positions.
Intellectual Property and Technology Litigation
When our clients' copyrights, patents, trademarks or trade secrets are infringed upon domestically or internationally, Baker Donelson's Intellectual Property Team has the experience and resources in intellectual property law to partner with our clients to protect their most valuable asset. We bring to the table a broad range of experience in litigation, trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings, patent review, domain name disputes and a variety of technology contractual disputes.
We have a reputation for practical, common sense approaches to our clients' concerns, while offering effective and sophisticated solutions to complex issues. From technology cases in California to the patent-heavy docket in Texas and pharmaceutical cases in New York, we routinely represent clients in a wide range of industries in courts throughout the United States.
Trademark and Branding
A manufacturer's trademarks and branding are among the most important distinguishing aspects of its business. Baker Donelson's Trademark and Branding attorneys understand that global brand protection begins with strategic counseling to audit and identify core brands that further the client’s purposes. We have extensive experience in the application, advancement, maintenance and protection of intellectual property assets, and we regularly advise on registration, licensing and enforcement of trademarks both in the U.S. and internationally.
Mass Tort Litigation
Mass tort cases often carry the risk of substantial financial exposure for manufacturers. Applying our in-depth understanding of our clients' industries, Baker Donelson brings extensive courtroom experience to defend them in all kinds of product liability, environmental and mass tort cases. And whether it is an individual case or a class action claim with industry-wide implications, we partner with each manufacturing client to develop litigation strategies to protect its interests and meet its business objectives.
Baker Donelson lawyers are trusted advocates with decades of trial experience who have frequently served as national, regional and local counsel to manufacturers. We are experienced in managing not only large class actions, multiple-suit and mass tort litigation, but also the high stakes "bet the company" cases involving serious personal injury or death. Baker Donelson has a strong track record defending such cases in some of the nation's most dangerous venues and has proven experience with the complex technical, scientific and medical/health issues involved with these claims.
We have substantial experience defending manufacturing clients representing a wide range of industries. From mining companies and solvent manufacturers to water treatment providers and radioactive waste generators, we have defended companies from numerous environmental and toxic tort claims arising from biological contaminants such as asbestos, lead paint, PCBs, vinyl chloride, printing solvents, methylene chloride, petroleum, lead and other toxic chemicals. The experience of our practice extends not only to defending these types of cases, but we have also been at the forefront of asbestos and toxic tort litigation since its inception, addressing policy and tort reform issues through industry-coordinated appellate advocacy.
Product Liability
A key aspect of our practice is assisting our manufacturing clients to avoid litigation. We regularly advise our clients concerning product safety and regulatory compliance issues, liability exposure, manufacturing issues and product recalls. Our attorneys serve as litigation and trial counsel for numerous manufacturing companies throughout the United States with experience covering a wide array of industries and claims, such as motor vehicles, orthopedic devices, pharmaceuticals, breast implants, consumer products, appliances, children's products, asbestos and tobacco, in a wide array of complex product and mass tort claims that include the defense of design, warning and manufacturing defect cases. In addition to advising our clients on product safety and regulatory compliance issues, our attorneys have served as lead counsel in multiple product safety recalls for manufacturers.
Learn more about our Intellectual Property practice here.