Intellectual Property
Protecting Your Ideas, Powering Your Business
Your intellectual property (IP) isn’t just part of your business—it is your business. It’s your brand, your ideas, your competitive edge. At HMLG, we don’t just help you protect what’s yours; we help you unlock its full potential.
What an Intellectual Property Strategy Covers
HMLG examines your IP portfolio to identify its strengths and close its gaps. Across trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, we build a practical strategy to protect what makes your company distinctive
Turning an IP Portfolio Into an Asset
- Position your portfolio to impress investors and attract business.
- Streamline and consolidate to save on costs and improve efficiency.
- Map out a plan to keep your IP valuable and future-proof.
How IP Enforcement Actually Works
Every solid IP strategy includes an enforcement game plan. We analyze your portfolio to anticipate challenges, assess risks, and create pathways to enforce your rights when needed—whether fending off threats or pursuing opportunities.
Which Kind of IP Protection Do You Need
Most businesses hold more than one kind of intellectual property and protect only one of them.
A trademark protects the name and branding customers identify you by. A copyright protects the creative work itself, including software, content, and design. A trade secret protects information deriving value from not being known, such as processes, formulas, and customer data. Each one is established differently, lasts a different length of time, and is enforced differently.
Choosing which protections to pursue, and in what order, is a business decision about where the value in your company actually lives.
FAQ
What is intellectual property?
Intellectual property is a set of legal rights covering creations of the mind. The main categories are trademarks, which protect brand identifiers, copyrights, which protect original creative works, patents, which protect inventions, and trade secrets, which protect valuable confidential information.
What's the difference between a trademark and a copyright?
A trademark protects names, logos, and other identifiers distinguishing your goods or services in the market. A copyright protects original creative works such as writing, music, software, and visual art. A logo can be covered by both.
Does HMLG file patents?
When a matter requires patent prosecution, HMLG brings in patent counsel and manages the engagement, and continues to handle the surrounding IP strategy, licensing, and diligence.
How do I know what IP my business owns?
An IP audit identifies what the business has created, what it has registered, what it acquired from contractors or vendors, and where ownership documentation is missing. Gaps in contractor IP assignment are the most common finding.
Do I have to register intellectual property to own it?
Copyright and common law trademark rights can arise without registration, but registration provides substantially stronger enforcement options and remedies. Trade secrets are protected through reasonable secrecy measures rather than registration.
What does IP enforcement involve?
Enforcement can include cease and desist correspondence, platform takedown procedures, opposition and cancellation proceedings, negotiated resolution or licensing, and litigation. HMLG handles enforcement transactionally and brings in litigation counsel when a matter requires it.
ARE YOU READY TO TRANSFORM YOUR LEGAL STRATEGY?
Let’s connect! Whether you’re looking for an in-house legal team or need to augment your existing counsel, HMLG is ready to help you rock your business.
Contact us today to learn how we can assist you with practical, proactive, world-class legal support.
3213 Harbor Avenue SW, Ste. A2
Seattle, WA 98126
(206) 774-0879