Patent Prosecution & Portfolio Development

Patent prosecution and strategic patent portfolio development are a substantial part of the foundation of The Belles Group, P.C. Our strength in developing patent portfolios is based on getting to know our clients’ businesses and understanding their goals. We work closely with our clients to strategically develop patent portfolios, taking into consideration a myriad of factors, including the importance of the technology to the company, the “shelf-life” of the technology, the ease with which the technology can be reverse-engineered and the state of the prior art. For companies operating on an international stage, The Belles Group, P.C. provides strategic advice and procurement of patents in foreign countries through our international network of foreign agents.

We believe that being informed is essential to drafting of patent applications if the resulting patents are to possess any commercial value. It is inherent in our patent drafting process that a prior art search is conducted and the most relevant prior art evaluated prior to the claim drafting stage. This approach not only minimizes the expenditure of company resources but also provides our attorneys with an understanding of the art so that patent claims can be drafted with a broad yet enforceable scope.

Patents drafted by our attorneys have been put to the test time and time again, and are continually enforced and monetized by our clients through litigation and licensing campaigns. By observing the effect of litigation on the scope and breadth of the patents we have drafted, our attorneys have gained a foresight in patent drafting and prosecution that few attorneys possess. We apply this foresight to craft patents that are structurally sound and litigation-ready. By so doing, we actually help avoid litigation because industry professionals and their counsel come to recognize that attacking our patents will prove quite difficult.

Patentability Searches

Our attorneys and professionals are highly skilled and experienced in searching techniques needed to identify the most relevant prior art in any technical field. All searches utilize a proprietary searching strategy based on, inter alia, current classification, active competitors in the field of endeavor, and cross-referencing through forward and backward citation utilizing multiple degrees of separation.

Freedom-To-Operate Opinions & Engineering Design-Around

Whether the need is to launch a breakthrough product into a new market or enter an established market full of competitive products, The Belles Group, P.C. helps its clients understand the rights of others so that they do not inadvertently subject themselves to infringement liability. Our attorneys provide a full-range of counseling services necessary to clear products for entry into market, defend against allegations of patent infringement, and avoid the claims of valid patents.

In addition, The Belles Group, P.C.'s attorneys have substantial experience in writing complex freedom-to-operate opinions based on invalidity, non-infringement and/or unenforceability. During periods of product development, our clients routinely ask us for help navigate around existing third party patent rights. To that end, our attorneys apply their engineering experience and expertise in patent law to assist clients in the development process. And even when clients come to us in the face of a patent infringement threat, we can help the client determine the extent of the arena in which they can freely compete with third party patents. Indeed, our freedom-to-operate opinions have been produced during litigation to successfully minimize client exposures.