Intellectual Property
Patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets — prosecution, enforcement, and strategic portfolio design.
Comprehensive protection for your innovations, brands, and creative works.
From early-stage innovation to market dominance, we help technology companies, startups, and creative enterprises build and defend valuable intellectual property portfolios. Our attorneys combine technical expertise with commercial awareness to deliver IP strategies that align with business objectives.
We handle patent prosecution across software, hardware, AI/ML, semiconductor, biotechnology, and consumer products. Our trademark practice covers brand clearance, prosecution, enforcement, and portfolio management. We advise on copyright registration, fair use, and licensing, and help clients protect trade secrets through strategic counseling and policy development.
Whether you're preparing for a capital raise, launching a new product, or defending against infringement, Sigma Law Group provides sophisticated IP counsel without the overhead of traditional BigLaw firms.
Services
- Patent Prosecution
- Trademark Prosecution
- Copyrights
- Trade Secrets
- Landscaping & Freedom to Operate
- Licensing
- IP Litigation
- Portfolio & Brand Management
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for in a patent prosecution attorney?
An effective patent prosecution attorney should have three key qualifications: USPTO registration, technical expertise in your industry, and experience drafting claims that withstand examination and provide meaningful protection. At Sigma Law Group, Managing Member James Smedley is a registered USPTO Patent Attorney with a B.S. in Computer Science from Rutgers and nearly 20 years of patent prosecution experience. He has prosecuted hundreds of patents across software, AI/ML, semiconductor, hardware, and consumer technology, working with startups through Fortune 500 companies. His BigLaw background at Fox Rothschild, Lowenstein Sandler, and McCarter & English ensures sophisticated claim drafting and prosecution strategy, while our boutique structure delivers responsive service at transparent pricing.
How does Sigma Law Group approach IP licensing?
Our IP licensing attorneys structure deals that protect your rights while enabling commercialization. We handle inbound and outbound licenses for patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets across technology transfers, brand partnerships, content distribution, and portfolio monetization. We negotiate favorable terms on royalties, field-of-use restrictions, exclusivity, sublicensing rights, and warranty provisions. Whether you're licensing technology to generate revenue, acquiring rights to build products, or navigating complex cross-licensing arrangements, we provide strategic counsel that balances legal protection with business objectives.
What is patent prosecution and how long does it take?
Patent prosecution is the process of preparing, filing, and obtaining a patent from the USPTO. It typically involves drafting a patent application with detailed technical descriptions and claims, filing with the USPTO, responding to office actions from patent examiners, and negotiating claim scope to secure allowance. The process typically takes 18-36 months for utility patents, depending on the technology area and complexity of examination. Provisional applications provide a faster, lower-cost option to establish an early filing date while you refine the invention. Our team manages the entire prosecution lifecycle, from prior art searches and patentability analysis through final issuance and maintenance.
Do I need a patent attorney or patent agent?
Both patent attorneys and patent agents are registered with the USPTO and can prepare and prosecute patent applications. The key difference: patent attorneys (like James Smedley at Sigma Law Group) are also licensed lawyers who can provide broader legal counsel including licensing, enforcement strategy, opinion letters, and litigation support. If you need comprehensive IP strategy that integrates with your business objectives, fundraising, or M&A plans, a patent attorney provides greater value. Our team handles not just prosecution but also freedom-to-operate analysis, IP due diligence, portfolio management, and licensing negotiations.
Contact us to discuss your intellectual property needs:
Phone: (215) 608-6588
Email: info@sigmalawgroup.com