Think Someone Stole Your Idea? Two Reasons Why You Need an Intellectual Property Attorney

13 February 2017
 Categories: Law, Blog

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When it comes to physical, tangible things such as money or jewelry, you may understand that it's not legal for someone to simply steal these items from you.  If an individual does take something you own, it will probably be second nature for you to get law enforcement and an attorney involved.  However, ideas that you come up with are your intellectual property, and no one has the right to claim them as their own without your permission either.  If you suspect that someone has taken your intellectual property, use this information to learn more about why you should hire an intellectual property attorney. 

Intellectual Property Attorneys Help You Establish Ownership

One of the main reasons why you should hire an intellectual property lawyer is because they can be instrumental in helping you establish ownership.  This is key because you need to be able to prove that the idea was your own creation.

The first step to being able to reclaim your idea is to develop a compelling case that shows without a shadow of a doubt that you were the person who came up with it.  Without an attorney, you may not know where to start.  A skilled lawyer knows how to question you in such a way that they can uncover those hidden things which you may have forgotten about that can substantiate your claims of intellectual theft.

For example, you may have some older emails which outline you talking with someone about the idea.  The two of you may even have had a few exchanges where you wrote in great detail about what your idea consisted of.  While this may not seem significant to you, it could be the very thing that ends up winning the case.

Intellectual Property Attorneys Understand Patent Law

Another reason why you need a lawyer is because intellectual property attorneys understand patent law.  Patent law can be difficult to dissect if you've never dealt with it before, so it's absolutely critical for you to have someone in your corner that can work out the nuances for you.  Even if you didn't go through the official process of obtaining a patent, there are unofficial roads to getting a patent that you may have successfully achieved.  A lawyer can help you determine if you've done so.

The moment you suspect that you've been robbed of your intellectual property, get in touch with a lawyer like those at Joseph E Mueth Law Office and find out what you should do next.