Over the past fifteen years, there have been a number of changes in the U.S. patent, trademark and copyright laws. These changes reflect a growing worldwide consensus on the importance of intellectual property and a slow movement toward harmonization of each country’s laws in this area. Also, in September 2011, the U.S. Congress passed a number of significant changes to U.S. Patent Laws. Several changes take effect immediately, while the more sweeping changes will be phased in over the next several years. Accordingly, you should consult an intellectual property attorney for the current status of U.S. intellectual property laws.
Brian H. Batzli Merchant & Gould P.C.
Revisions made in 2015 include updates to this guide that reflect changes to U.S. Patent Laws that came into effect in 2012-2013 with the passage of the America Invents Act. These changes are an important step in harmonizing U.S. Patent laws with international intellectual property laws, and represent the most drastic change to U.S. Patent laws since the original Patent Act of 1952. Although not all nuances of these laws are described in this Guide, the revised Guide provides an up-to-date set of guideposts with which an inventor can assess whether, and when, to consult an intellectual property attorney regarding the best manner of protection of his or her invention.
Andrew J. Lagatta Merchant & Gould P.C.
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