Intellectual Property Protection
A trademark owner must protect a trademark and investigate confusingly similar uses, or face losing the trademark rights. Our attorneys are available to conduct audits of an owner’s trademarks by searching for similar uses and requesting that infringers cease a practice that infringes on or dilutes a trademark or otherwise is engaged in conduct that constitutes unfair competition.
Schneider & Onofry attorneys handle a wide variety of trademark matters – including prosecution, litigation and auditing. We help clients protect their trademarks by registering trademarks, obtaining domain names, and assisting business owners in selling domain names.
When there is a dispute, we litigate trademark infringement, dilution, trade dress, false advertising claims, and violations of federal anti-cybersquating law.
Copyrights can be one of a business’s most valuable assets. Schneider & Onofry Attorneys handle copyright infringement and enforcement matters throughout Arizona. We focus on helping businesses defends their copyrights by sending cease-and-desist letters and aggressively litigating when necessary.
We counsel clients on effective measures to minimize the risk that their own employees and competitors will appropriate confidential and trade secret information and means of preserving relationships and goodwill with customers, suppliers and employees. We assist clients in implementing best behaviors, practices and policies, including, but not limited to:
- Identifying and capturing trade secrets and confidential information
- Creating and implementing policies and practical steps to protect trade secrets and confidential information, both physically and electronically
- Modifying, designing and implementing effective policies and agreements regarding non-competition, invention assignment, non-solicitation of customers, vendors and employees, and trade secrets and confidentiality
- Identifying and investigating breaches or violations by current or separated employees
- Addressing concerns surrounding the hiring of employees subject to restrictive covenants or who may possess trade secrets
We also defend employees and independent contractors against claims that they have misappropriated or improperly disclosed confidential or proprietary business information or have breached an employment policy or contract relating to an employer’s protectable business interests.