Fundamentals Of Protecting Patents Overseas

Patent protection overseas is an effective but often overlooked means to further a company’s business objectives, writes Leason Ellis attorney Joel Felber. It’s a strategy that can be beneficial even in venues where no product or service from the company is actually being marketed, he says, because it may check a competitor’s possible future development plans. But it’s expensive, and deciding when it’s worth it requires careful analysis. “Such benefits as foreign market exclusivity, foreign-based licensing revenue, and cross-licensing opportunities in foreign countries need to be balanced against costs, time and the effort required to address foreign patent laws. Particular consideration needs to be given to strict timing requirements imposed by individual patent offices.”