Case Studies

Here are some client success stories.

The One We Sent Away

One of our most satisfying client stories is about the client who didn't hire us. He was referred to us by another local attorney. He had just received venture funding for his company, and his board of directors had instructed him to secure ten patents for chemical formulas that were integral to the company's success. As we spoke on the phone, it became clear that his goals would be best served not by securing patents but by establishing a strong trade secret policy.

If he filed for patents, then his formula would be exposed to the public after the patents' 20-year terms expired.

If he established a strong trade secret policy and made sure his top chemist was happy and well paid, then he could hold on to his formulas indefinitely, in the same way that Coke protects its secret formula.

I told him that there were many patent lawyers who would gladly take his money and file patents, but since my only tool was not a hammer, I didn't view every problem as a nail. In a 15-minute phone call, I saved him about $250,000 in patent fees, and I suggested that he use the referring attorney for the trade secret work.

We may have lost a potential client, but we gained a reputation for doing the right thing.