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Patents

A patent is a crucial tool for protecting your technology. It allows you to capitalize on your investment in R&D, through a grant of a 20-year monopoly on your technology.

Intervening in all technical fields, Germain Maureau can help you to protect your inventions and enforce your rights in Europe and overseas.

Combining legal and technical skills, our cross-disciplinary teams can provide solutions adapted to each phase of your project, with advice as to the best strategies to adopt to protect your patents.

Our work

A preliminary report on patentability

  • Prior art searches by a dedicated team of patent searchers
  • A report on the patentability of your invention

Acquisition of legal rights

  • Defining the scope of the invention
  • Defining the registration strategy (choice of geographical area)
  • Drafting, in French or English, the application for registration of the patent in France and abroad.
  • Following the examination procedures before the French IP Institute (INPI), European Patent Office (EPO) and foreign Patent Offices until the patent has been issued.

Maintaining and optimising your patent portfolio

  • Monitoring payment of annuities
  • Portfolio review
  • Limitation proceedings

Third party patents

  • Patent watch with monthly reports
  • Third party patent application monitoring
  • Freedom of use opinion
  • Patent validity opinion

Opposition proceedings at the French Patent Office and at European Patent Office

  • Drafting Notices of Opposition and Replies to opposition.
  • Oral hearings
  • Appeals

Litigation

  • Pre-litigation phase: cease and desist letters, infringement seizures, customs seizures
  • Nullity proceedings
  • Infringement proceedings

Contracts

  • Contractual negotiations
  • Preparing and drafting confidentiality, assignment, licensing, co-ownership, co-development and collateral agreements
  • complying with the registration requirements of national patent registries