Intellectual Property Law

For many companies including manufacturers, the importance of intellectual property rights as managerial resources has increased significantly. In the event a dispute involving infringement of intellectual property rights arises, as its consequence will have a critical influence on business management, careful judgement will need to be exercised in deciding whether to litigate in court or to settle out of court taking into consideration various factors including the particularities of the case and its negative and positive impacts on business. Moreover, lawsuits over claims for remuneration for employee inventions cannot be ignored by management because companies are required to present an overview of their business activities ranging from research and development through commercialization and might be pressured to disclose corporate secrets, and the results arising from such lawsuits can affect the motivation of all employees.

We handle cases dealing with infringement of various intellectual property rights (patent rights, utility model rights, design rights, trademark rights, copyrights, and rights under the Unfair Competition Prevention Act), and lawsuits over claims for remuneration related to employee inventions or other claims. We provide advice on the most effective strategies for resolving an individual case. Our assistance is not limited to when litigation arises. We also provide advice for licensing negotiations among corporations and for infringement lawsuits. We take on cases involving trials for patent invalidation and litigation to rescind trial decisions and we prepare written opinions in collaboration with patent attorneys, as necessary. We have also carried out legal checks, etc. of regulations governing internal incentive rewards and various agreements, such as license agreements, joint development agreements, and commoditization agreements.