The recipe for Coca-Cola® is one of the most valuable trade secrets in the world. As a trade secret, it is not protected by patent, copyright, trademark or any other government-granted monopoly. The recipe is a trade secret only because The Coca-Cola Company keeps the information secret. According to the radio show ‘This American Life,’ […]
Lipton Weinberger & Husick Blog
Elementary, My Dear Watson
February 28, 2011
Lipton Weinberger & Husick Blog
On February 14-16, 2011, we watched “Watson“, an IBM system of computers the size of a two-car garage, compete against the all-time best champions on the game show Jeopardy!®. On subjects from diseases to characters in Beatles® songs, the computer was impressive, pressing the buzzer faster than its human opponents, and getting so many answers […]
The Secret of the Nooks and Crannies
August 27, 2010
Lipton Weinberger & Husick Blog
Traditional methods of intellectual property protection have their limitations, particularly for protecting ideas. Patents only protect new, useful and nonobvious ideas, the details are public, and protection last only for a fixed term of 17 or 20 years years, depending upon the filing date; and trademark and copyright law do not protect ideas at all. […]
With the economy slow to recover, many firms, both for-profit and not-for-profit are offering summer internships, rather than paid positions. Sounds good, right? The employer gets free labor, and the intern gets experience and resume enhancement. What could be better? Well, it turns out that paying a fair wage could be better because both federal […]
Eyjafjallajokull — Force Majeure
April 28, 2010
Lipton Weinberger & Husick Blog
The interruption caused by Eyjafjallajokull has been devastating. Putting aside the personal inconvenience and expense suffered by airlines, passengers and the travel and vacation industries, the consequence to other businesses has been far reaching — missed deliveries and shipments, upset production schedules, canceled meetings, delayed or canceled business deals, and more. Believe it or not, […]
For the past 5 years, our partner Lawrence Husick has been co-teaching the Managing Innovation course at the Whiting Graduate School of Engineering at The Johns Hopkins University. Beginning in the Summer Term 2010, he and Dr. Ed Addison will offer “Managing Innovation in the Life Sciences” as a distance learning course in the Hopkins […]
News from LWH
September 24, 2009
Lipton Weinberger & Husick Blog
On September 17, 2009, Adam Garson made a presentation on copyright and trademark law to the National Organization of Professional Organizers (NAPO). If your group would like Adam or other lawyers at Lipton, Weinberger & Husick to present topics on intellectual property law, let us know. We’d be pleased to help.
News from LWH
August 20, 2009
Lipton Weinberger & Husick Blog
On July 21, 2009, Adam Garson made a presentation on the basics of copyright law to the Lehigh Valley Writers Symposium. In attendance were writers, publishers, photographers and online entrepreneurs. The group asked many questions in a lively post-presentation discussion. If your group would like Adam or other lawyers at Lipton, Weinberger & Husick to […]
If you create a corporate entity in a state where your company may not have a physical presence, most states will require you to maintain a corporate agent, that is, an individual or entity who is responsible for receiving legal documents — notices and court papers — on behalf of your company. Pennsylvania differs in […]
Ask a knowledgeable layperson to define “Intellectual property” he or she typically lists patents, trademarks, and copyrights. A fourth type of intellectual property, “trade secrets,” should not be ignored. Trade secrets consist of any idea, process, formula or other information that a company or individual wishes to protect from infringement (i.e., from being stolen) by […]