On the road to the commercializing new technologies, patents are often one of the most valuable business tools available to technology owners. At Hicks Intellectual Property, we assist the owners of technologies at all stages in the development and management of patent portfolios from the early conceptual stages through to the ongoing management and development of comprehensive international patent portfolios.

Patent Portfolio- Development and Management

In the development and management of a client’s patent portfolio, we work with our clients in:

• Reviewing and recommending patent protection strategies for new technologies
• Conducting comprehensive patentability searches and providing patentability opinions
• Drafting patent applications
• Filing patent applications
• Prosecuting patent applications around the world including Canada, the United States, Europe and many other countries and/or jurisdictions
• Managing complex domestic and international patent portfolios.

Freedom-to-Operate/Infringement/Validity Analyses & Due Diligence

In the modern world, companies must be acutely aware of the existence of other's IP rights. An awareness of other's IP can be highly important to a business both from the perspective of avoiding infringment of other's IP but also in assessing the value of one's own IP. Knowledge of other's IP can also be extremely beneficial in making important business decisions around capitial investments, third-party collaboration and basic due diligence prior to and during various transactions. As such, we assist our clients in:

• Conducting freedom-to-operate reviews and opinions
• Conducting infringement reviews and opinions
• Conducting patent validity analyses and opinions
• Providing transaction advice and due diligence in the evaluation and management of patents and patent portfolios in acquisitions, mergers, financings and bankruptcies

IP Strategy and IP Policy Advice

Developing a culture of innovation within a company requires internal policies that promote the development and communication of ideas. At HicksIP, we will work with your company to review and identify appropriate strategies and internal policies that will contribute to communication and review of new ideas.

Expertise

Our patent agents and technical advisors are trained across a range of science and engineering disciplines including chemical engineering, biochemistry, chemistry, nanotechnology, physical therapy and environmental science. With nearly two decades of experience in working with inventors, small, medium and large size companies in the development and management of simple and complex intellectual property portfolios, we are adept at listening to our clients and meeting their intellectual property needs with timely and cost-effective advice.