Questions to Ask an IP Lawyer at the Initial Consultation

When it comes to protecting design rights, innovations, creative work and trademarks, you need to have the assistance of an IP or intellectual property lawyer. You can consider different lawyers for this but it is important to understand the key questions to ask at the initial consultation with potential lawyers. This will give you a better idea of their suitability for your requirements.

Ask the IP lawyer about their experience in this field and how many years they have practised IP law

It is also important to check whether they have worked in cases that are similar to yours as this gives them valuable background to view your case and provide effective guidance. IP issues can be very complicated and therefore, it is important to select a lawyer that is competent in navigating them. You can look for IP lawyers who already have exposure to your industry; ask them whether they have handled cases associated with your industry as IP law can vary from one industry to another. And this gives them an initial idea of how to proceed. Any challenges they have faced reading IP law in your industry can be used to mitigate certain issues that can come up.

There are so many areas covered under

The umbrella of intellectual property such as trade secrets, trademarks, patents, copyrights etc. And you can ask the IP lawyer about which cases they have worked on and the majority areas they have covered. It is best to select an IP lawyer who has experience in your area. For example, a lawyer with experience in patent law should be selected when you are looking for help filing a patent. It can be very hard to understand the process of protecting intellectual property and this can be quite specific to your area as well.

You can ask the IP lawyer to explain the process so that you have an idea of what the basic steps are. This will also give you a viewpoint into their ability to explain difficult concepts without resorting to the use of legal jargon. It is important to understand the approach of the IP lawyer when it comes to IP strategy. You can ask them for recommendations on how your intellectual property can be protected which will cover prevention of infringement and methods of defending the intellectual property. There will be certain enforcement measures they can explain to you regarding this.

Another consideration when choosing an IP lawyer is the cost involved

You need to ask them to provide you with an estimate for legal fees along with other expenses such as filing fees. Ask for their opinion on the expected duration for the process. It is quite normal for IP matters to take a few months or even stretch to years. Inquire about the lawyer’s track record in previous IP disputes. Check whether their experience comprises both defending and pursuing IP claims. It is important to keep you informed about the progress of the case so you need to check with the IP lawyer their methods of communication. Ask about their response times.