Intellectual Property is present in various forms, all equally valued and deemed a charitable asset of an IRC 501(c)(3) organization.

Trademarks

A trademark includes any word, phrase, symbol, design, or combination of the same which identifies a particular good or service. A trademark must establish a distinctive connection or identifier with a good or service such that a consumer would recognize the association when seeing the trademark.

Copyrights

Copyright includes the exclusive right to reproduce or duplicate a particular tangible creative work. 

Patents

A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process providing a new way of doing something or offering a technical solution to a problem.

Trade Secrets

Trade Secrets encompass confidential information or compilations that are not generally known to the public for which the trade secret owner takes reasonable efforts to maintain confidentiality because of the economic value conferred by the information not being known by third parties.

Protecting our client’s intellectual property and goodwill is our top priority. In furtherance of their mission, Tax exempt organizations develop intellectual property such as donation solicitations, marketing materials, curriculum, donor lists, names and programs, products, and other written works.

If not managed well, a nonprofit can diminish or waive its rights to the intellectual property it develops.

Tovella Dowling works to safeguard intellectual property assets protecting against infringement, misappropriation, dilution, and counterfeiting through application prosecution, licensing royalty structuring, and other counsel.