Internet, World Wide Web and broadband technologies have spawned global industry standards that put Woodcock Washburn clients' intellectual property investments and critical operations at risk. Today, these industry standards permeate information technology and services businesses, entertainment and communications products and various industry processes. Our attorneys help clients navigate the world of standards in a way that fits their business strategy.
Woodcock Washburn lawyers have extensive experience evaluating intellectual property policies and negotiating on our clients' behalf. We formulate standards and intellectual property strategies for corporate standards-related management and compliance programs that conform to clients' business objectives. In addition, our firm routinely assists clients with licensing transactions related to standards, including patent pool arrangements. Whether you or your clients are developers or users of standards-based technologies, you need this type of protection.
For example, our lawyers advise clients on compliance with patent disclosure obligations. This expertise is especially important to companies with employees participating in standards-setting organizations to avoid the risk of rendering crucial patent rights unenforceable. We also counsel health care providers that rely extensively on web-based technologies to share data with customers, partners and suppliers. These organizations need to know that the third-party intellectual property rights they contribute will still be available to them.
Woodcock Washburn attorneys ensure that intellectual property owners' current and potential patent portfolios are not subjected to substantial licensing obligations stemming from an acquired company's employee participation in standards-setting activities. We also work with developers who are betting the next product line on the success of a particular industry standard. Our lawyers advise on how and where to initiate the standards development to ensure that the standard itself is a success.
