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In intellectual property law, you take many things as "givens." The technical and legal training of the legal professionals at your firm. Their familiarity with the complexities of intellectual property law. Their ability to deliver on promises on time.
So why is one intellectual property firm typically hired and retained over another? Most often, it’s not due to the credentials of the firm, per se, but more due to the abilities and personalities of the people who populate it. As one LJP client says: "I don’t hire law firms. I hire attorneys. We pick lawyers we like and want to work with."
The fact is, while representatives from a company might initially choose an intellectual property firm based on its name or reputation, in reality, they work with a team of intellectual property professionals. And long-term, they work with professionals who instill the highest degree of satisfaction and confidence. Time and again, that’s why LJP clients work with us
— and have worked with us for years.
You don’t need to become good friends with your intellectual property counsel, although that’s the case in several instances at LJP. Rather, what you need are consummate professionals, as adept in communications and client service as they are in law or engineering. You’ll find these people throughout LJP because, frankly, they’re the only kind of people we hire.
Before hiring an intellectual property team, ask the conventional questions:
- What experience do the team members have with my particular technical field?
- What experience and track record does this team have in patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets?
- What are the potential costs of pursuing intellectual property protection?
- What technological tools or experience does this team have to help build my case and/or minimize costs?
- How crucial is it (or will it be) to meet with my intellectual property counsel face-to-face?
Yet also ask these questions:
- Is this a team I feel comfortable working with over the next few months or even years?
- What is this team’s character and is it similar to my own?
- Is this team interested in my work simply because it’s a business opportunity, or because they are truly interested in it?
- Do these people truly understand my work and its business implications?
- How closely do they listen to me?
Armed with answers, you’ll arrive at a decision that both best serves your company’s needs and gives you greatest peace of mind.