Common Intellectual Property Disputes In Business

 Posted on February 14, 2025 in English

One of the most valuable assets that a business can own is intellectual property, whether that is copyrights, trademarks, patents, or trade secrets. Intellectual property gives businesses an edge in the marketplace.

Yet intellectual property (IP) disputes are increasingly common. Whether intentional or not, businesses may infringe on intellectual property rights, and other businesses naturally want to protect their IP from competitors who seek to copy it without authorization. An experienced Rockville, MD intellectual property dispute attorney advises businesses on protecting their IP rights in disputes.

Copyright Infringement

Copyrights are legal rights protecting works of authorship such as written works, songs, dramatic plays, video games, movies, and software. A claim for copyright infringement usually arises when someone copies or distributes copyrighted work without authorization. For example, a software company could have a dispute with a competitor over the source code it owns that the competitor is now using to make a profit without any authorization.

Trademark Infringement

Trademarks protect the use of a brand's registered trademark in commerce. Trademark infringement disputes center on allegations of unauthorized use of the registered trademark, logo, or symbol that is likely to confuse consumers. An example of a trademark lawsuit might involve a beverage company with a recognizable name and logo suing another company marketing similar beverages under a similar name or logo.

Patent Infringement

Patents are intellectual property rights granted to provide legal protection to inventions, such as a new type of computer microchip or a new process to dispense drugs in a pharmacy. Patent infringement lawsuits tend to have particularly high financial stakes and allege that another party has used or sold a patented invention without permission. For example, drug companies often file patent infringement lawsuits alleging that another drugmaker is selling a drug that infringes on their patent.

Trade Secret Disputes

A trade secret involves confidential business information, such as technical test data, manufacturing process details, lists of suppliers, or advertising strategies. In a trade secret dispute, a party is accused of disclosing valuable trade secrets without authorization. An example of a trade secret dispute might arise if an employee takes client lists and sells them to a competitor or uses them to start a competing business.

Call a Rockville, MD Intellectual Property Dispute Attorney

At Salvado Law Offices, our attorneys understand how important it is to safeguard our clients’ IP assets. Our experienced Frederick, MD business litigation attorneys advise clients on IP disputes related to copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets. Call our offices at 301-933-1814 for a consultation to begin addressing the protection of your IP.