Intellectual Property

Introduction:

Although tangible assets remain important to business, it is increasingly evident that intangible assets are at least as critical as tangible assets to the viability of enterprises in the U.S. and throughout the world. Even though these intangible assets may take a variety of forms, such as accounts receivable, as time passes the most valuable intangible assets clearly manifest themselves in information that confers a competitive advantage on the one possessing the information.

The ephemeral and definitionally difficult nature of these assets make their protection more challenging than the protection of more traditional assets.

The course deals primarily with the use of trade secrets, patents, copyrights, and trademarks to protect, commercialize, and manage intellectual property assets (ideas, innovations, information, original expressions, goodwill, etc.). In other words, how does one turn ideas and information into legally protectible property interests and protect those interests from competitors and potential emulators? On the other side of the coin, how does one avoid infringing intellectual property interests of others, with the staggering liability that infringement can lead to? Other related topics are also covered, including certain Internet-related legal issues and perhaps some contract and tort issues that arise in the technology setting.

The course should be of interest to:

• General managers in technology-oriented businesses
• Entrepreneurs (Today, most start-ups are based on ideas that, if successful, can be easily lost through ignorance)
• Those who provide consulting, accounting, or other services to technology-oriented companies (Understanding of your client’s business is crucial)
• Those who plan careers in a technical field (Knowledge of how to protect your own or your employer’s ideas makes you much more valuable, and better prepares you for the future possibility of going out on your own)

Course Outline:

1. Introduction to Intellectual Property
2. Trade Secrets (including applications to various technologies, including computer software)
3. Patents (including applications to various technologies, including computer software)
4. Copyrights (especially applications to technology, and especially computer software applications)
5. Trademarks (basics, plus applications to domain name problems)