Contact a Dallas Franchise Lawyer at Our IP Boutique The firm’s Franchise and Distribution group assists clients in nearly every phase of the franchising process, from business concept refinement and franchise document preparation to regulatory compliance and franchise sales. The group’s attorneys have had experience with direct licensing, multi-unit franchises, sub-franchising, conversion franchises, combination franchises, “niche” (or alternative location or channel) franchises, and joint ventures. The attorneys have also counseled companies on the impact of laws in particular countries and the range of business terms in individual countries, and they have negotiated agreements and participated in litigation and arbitration proceedings resulting from breach of contract, fraud, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), trademark and copyright infringement, termination, vicarious liability, encroachment, implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing claims, transfer issues, discrimination claims, enforcement of system standards, antitrust, registration and disclosure violations, restrictive covenants, consumer fraud, product liability and securities fraud. Our Franchise and Distribution practice is national and international in scope, having represented clients in more than 100 countries, of all sizes, in a wide range of industries, including...
Intellectual property issues frequently arise in connection with mergers, acquisitions, and business ventures. Our Dallas lawyers have extensive experience with such corporate due diligence, including auditing the IP provisions of a corporations contracts as well as the patent and trademark portfolios. Conducting due diligence using attorneys with intellectual property expertise can help avoid unforeseen consequences in mergers and acquisitions or in connection with asset purchase agreements.
Trade Secrets
Trade secrets are important for businesses who want to protect information and techniques to remain competitive in their respective industries. The theft of your client lists, techniques for providing services, pricing models, research and other important information can damage your business. Former employees, managers, and even competitors may illegally use your trade secrets to put your business at a disadvantage. Fortunately, you have legal options for trade secret protection that you can rely on to stay competitive. In 2013, Texas lawmakers passed and enacted the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act (TUTSA) to help provide a centralized framework for allowing certain entities to protect confidential information. Under TUTSA, there is now a streamlined process for these entities to seek damages against parties who misappropriated trade secrets after the law’s passage. This law is based on the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, which almost every other state uses as a model. Lawmakers amended TUTSA to work with the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA). The DTSA provides additional options for businesses to recover damages from parties who misappropriate their trade secrets. If you want to protect your trade secrets or take action against a party who stole your trade secrets, then state and federal laws can help. However, there are certain requirements you must meet before pursuing legal options against the party that misappropriated your trade secrets. The Dallas intellectual property lawyers at Carstens, Allen & Gourley, LLP can review your situation and help you determine your legal options.
Intellectual Property
Call Our Dallas Intellectual Property Litigation Lawyers for More Information Intellectual property rights are essential for your business’s ability to maintain an advantage over competitors. Without these rights, competitors can steal your ideas and use them to gain an economic advantage over your business. Fortunately, federal and state laws allow you to assert your intellectual property rights when other parties steal your ideas. Intellectual property litigation covers disputes involving patents, trademarks, trade secrets, copyrights and other intellectual property issues. Businesses have a couple of legal options for handling instances of intellectual property theft. The first option is to negotiate with the infringing party to reach a settlement. You can start the negotiation process by sending a cease and desist letter. However, settlement negotiations do not always work, and it may be necessary to consider the second option, litigation. When it comes to intellectual property litigation, our firm has the manpower and trial experience to vigorously pursue your rights through to a jury verdict. We use the same tenacity to defend against claims that you violated the IP rights of others. Carstens & Cahoon’s litigation team focuses on understanding your business and its individual needs. We recognize that not every client is the same, and we tailor our strategy in each case to fit our client’s needs. We use our years of proven litigation success to obtain the best possible outcome for each case.