Intellectual Property Attorneys: Trademark, Trade Secret & IP Protection for Businesses
Your intellectual property is often your most valuable asset — and the easiest to lose if you do not protect it proactively. We secure, enforce, and defend the IP that drives your competitive advantage.
What Our IP Practice Covers Your Business the Right Way
Whether you need to register a trademark, protect trade secrets, license IP, or enforce your rights against an infringer, our intellectual property attorney team handles:
- Trademark Registration & Portfolio Management — Federal and state trademark applications, office action responses, maintenance filings, and ongoing portfolio strategy.
- Trade Secret Protection Programs — Designing confidentiality frameworks, NDA programs, access controls, and employment provisions that protect proprietary business information.
- Copyright Protection — Registration, licensing, and enforcement for creative works, software code, content, and digital assets.
- IP Licensing & Commercialization — Drafting and negotiating licensing agreements, royalty structures, white-label arrangements, and technology transfer agreements.
- IP Due Diligence — Auditing IP portfolios for M&A transactions, investment rounds, and partnership evaluations.
- IP Enforcement & Defense — Cease and desist actions, TTAB proceedings, and IP litigation for trademark infringement, trade secret misappropriation, and copyright violations.
- Employee IP Agreements — IP assignment agreements, invention disclosure policies, and restrictive covenants that ensure the company owns what employees create.
Every IP engagement starts with understanding what gives your business its competitive advantage — then building the legal framework that protects it.
Our M&A Process: Built for Speed and Precision
1. Deal Strategy & Valuation
We start with your goals — exit, acquisition, or expansion — and align deal structure with your tax and long-term strategy.
2. Letter of Intent (LOI)
We draft or refine the LOI to lock in key deal terms before due diligence begins.
3. Due Diligence Review
We audit the target company’s contracts, liabilities, IP, and financials to expose hidden risks early.
4. Negotiation & Documentation
Our team drafts or redlines definitive agreements that secure your interests — from purchase agreements to transition plans.
5. Closing & Integration
We oversee closing logistics and ensure post-closing obligations are clear, enforceable, and advantageous
Our Howard East Law Firm Attorney's Recognition
Our founding attorney, Tom Howard, has been recognized by both Leading Lawyers & Super Lawyers, quoted in the Wall Street Journal & Top 200 Lawyer. He is a member of the NORML Legal Committee & a Certified Ganjier.
Why Business Owners Choose Howard East
Business-Focused IP Strategy
We do not file trademarks in a vacuum. Your IP strategy connects to your business strategy — protecting the assets that drive revenue, competitive advantage, and enterprise value.
Protection Programs, Not Just Registrations
A trademark registration without an enforcement program is a piece of paper. We build complete IP protection frameworks including monitoring, employee policies, and enforcement protocols.
Multi-State IP Enforcement
IP disputes often cross state lines. Licensed in Illinois, Missouri, and New York, we enforce IP rights across jurisdictions without involving outside counsel.
Integrated with Corporate & Litigation
IP issues rarely exist in isolation. We connect IP protection to your corporate structure, employment agreements, and commercial contracts — and our litigation team enforces what our transactional team builds.
Where We Protect Intellectual Property
Illinois
Handle buy/sell transactions across corporations, LLCs, and partnerships Navigate Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) issues in licensed industries Structure transactions for tax efficiency and post-closing protection Negotiate LOIs, purchase agreements, and non-competes tailored to Illinois law
Missouri:
Represent business owners in sales, mergers, and buyouts Manage multi-entity reorganizations and asset transfers Counsel clients on Missouri employment and non-solicitation laws Coordinate closings with lenders, accountants, and regulatory agencies
New York
Guide cross-border and multi-state transactions Draft and negotiate stock and asset purchase agreements Advise on securities compliance and due diligence for private offerings Manage regulatory and licensing transitions in highly regulated industries
Contact Experienced Lawyers Now
Let’s Talk About Your Deal
- Register and protect the trademarks that define your brand identity
- Build trade secret programs that prevent proprietary information from walking out the door
- License your IP through agreements that protect your rights and generate revenue
- Enforce your IP against infringers before they erode your competitive advantage
- Negotiate earn-outs and seller financing that protect their future
- Handle post-closing disputes discreetly and efficiently
FAQ: Mergers & Acquisitions Law
What is the difference between a trademark, copyright, and trade secret?
Trademarks protect brand identifiers — names, logos, and slogans that distinguish your goods or services in the marketplace. Copyrights protect original creative works — software code, written content, designs, and artistic works. Trade secrets protect confidential business information — formulas, processes, customer lists, and proprietary methods — that derive value from being secret. Most businesses have all three types of IP and need a coordinated protection strategy. An intellectual property attorney evaluates which protections apply to your specific assets.
How long does trademark registration take?
Federal trademark registration through the USPTO typically takes eight to twelve months from filing to registration, assuming no office actions or oppositions. State trademark registrations are generally faster. We file applications strategically — selecting the right classes, conducting clearance searches before filing, and drafting descriptions of goods and services that maximize the scope of protection while minimizing the risk of examiner refusal.
Do I need to register my trademark to have rights?
No. In the United States, trademark rights arise from use in commerce, not registration. However, federal registration provides significant advantages: nationwide constructive notice of your claim, the ability to bring infringement actions in federal court, access to enhanced damages, and the right to use the registered trademark symbol. For most businesses with any brand value, the benefits of registration far outweigh the costs.
What should I do if someone is infringing my intellectual property?
Contact an intellectual property attorney before taking action. The appropriate response depends on the type of IP, the nature and extent of the infringement, and your business relationship with the infringer. Options range from a cease and desist letter to TTAB proceedings to federal court litigation. Acting quickly is important — delay can weaken your enforcement position and allow the infringement to cause greater harm to your brand and market position.
How do I protect trade secrets when employees leave?
Trade secret protection requires a proactive framework: identifying and documenting what constitutes trade secret information, limiting access to those who need it, requiring confidentiality and IP assignment agreements from all employees and contractors, conducting exit interviews with departing employees, and monitoring for potential misappropriation. The strongest trade secret programs combine contractual protections with operational security measures — because a trade secret that is not actually kept secret loses its legal protection.