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• Use Care in Drafting Provisional Applications ( January 2003 )
  

  Many inventors file provisional applications as a first stage in applying for a patent. Provisional applications can be filed without claims, so the inventor does not have to decide which features will distinguish the invention over the "prior art," and since provisionals are not examined, they can be filed without the usual formatting of a conventional patent application.

• Make Money By Exposing Secrets: Learn How the Simple Act of Filing a Patent Application Can Make or Break Your Business ( September 2002 )
  

  A recent law allows businesses to create more value simply by filing a patent application. The 18-month rule deprives patent applications of their secrecy 18 months after they are filed, but in exchange, the patent applicant can recover damages from an infringer starting from the date of publication. The bargain is somewhat more complex, but you can improve your bottom line by maximizing the benefits of the 18-month rule and avoiding its pitfalls.

• Provisional Patent Applications ( October 2000 )
  

  This article reviews provisional patent applications and how they compare to a regular patent application.

• One-Click or Two? The War Over Business Method Patents ( October 2000 )
  

  This article addresses the issue of business method patents and its effect on the e-commerce industry.

• Strategies for Patent Protection ( August 2000 )
  

  This paper summarizes the importance of patent protection and several strategies to keep in mind when attempting to pursue patent protection.

• Often Asked Questions About Patenting ( May 2000 )
  

  The information provided below is not legal advice. It is of a general nature and does not apply to sets of .

• Biotech Collaborations and Maximizing Patent Protection: Two Hypotheticals ( August 1999 )
  

  The benefit of having an earlier filing date than the competition usually warrants filing a patent application soon after an initial discovery is made. However, due to the basic nature of Biotech research, an initial discovery is often less important commercially than later discovered improvements.

• The Patenting Process ( August 1999 )
  

  Anticipated Chronology of Patent Procurement Definitions, Explanations, and Descriptions of Each Event Client Act.

• The U.S. Supreme Court's On-Sale Bar Decision in Pfaff v. Wells Electronics, Inc. ( December 1998 )
  

  This article discusses the United States Supreme Court's decision in Pfaff v. Wells Electronics, Inc. relating to patent litigation and prosecution.