Patents

What we offer

With over 150 years’ experience and a current portfolio of over 100,000 patents in various fields, Jacobacci & Partners offers clear and pragmatic advice on protecting inventions in any technological sector: from mechanics to electronics and software, from industrial and pharmaceutical chemistry to biotechnologies and nanotechnologies. We represent clients in the filing of patents at the national, European and international level.

Priority searches and patentability opinions

These are complementary services that help determine the possibility of patenting an invention. Both of these activities involve advising clients on the potential for infringement on the rights of third parties.

Filing of Italian, European and international patents

A one-stop shop for everything clients need to know about filing a patent, including before the European Patent Office and the competent authorities abroad, up through the registration process to the grant of the patent.

Filing of utility models, in Italy and abroad

A road map for the relevant procedures in Italy and abroad, leading to the filing of a utility model, i.e. an industrial property right that protects a new technical form of an industrial product, or the innovative improvement of the technical performance of an existing product.

Monitoring by subject, by technology sector, and by competitor

Through access to the world's largest databases (many of which are linked to customs), we are able to develop a multi-level analysis surveillance system to prevent the use of patents, deposited by third parties anywhere the world, that are identical or confusingly similar to a client’s right.

Opposition

Once the patent application has been published, opposition procedures can be initiated by a third party, according to the rules applicable before the relevant patent office.

Due diligence and economic assessments

Due diligence investigations allow one to obtain an overview of the status of a company’s patents, which can highlight any critical issues involving ownership, maintenance of the patent, transfer of securities or use of the patent rights by a third party. This service is complemented by economic assessments, which involve the valuation of intangible assets for a number of purposes, including in order to identify advantages associated with the value of a company.

Patent Licensing

Jacobacci & Partners provides license verification programs and guidance on steps to be taken by the parties once a license agreement has been concluded, in order to accompany the client or licensor or licensee, step by step, throughout the course of the licensing relationship.

Plant varieties rights

A consultancy service that seeks to determine the most adequate protection of new plant varieties, providing security for these innovations when they cannot be protected by a patent for an invention.

Copyright protection

Among the first international firms to deal with the new frontiers of copyright, and sometimes helping to frame legislation in Italy and abroad, Jacobacci & Partners offers advice that enables clients to take advantage of a body of law that is in constant evolution.

Software protection

With decades of experience in this field combined with technical expertise and constant evolution in the approach to software protection in Europe, Jacobacci & Partners has the expertise to interpret the legislation and jurisprudence of each country and adapt client requests to frequent changes in the law.

Know-how protection

The protection of know-how relates to the use of innovative approaches that are preserved and exploited in secret. Starting from a survey of company procedures and assets, our service creates a roadmap of protection and control tools, including the necessary contractual instruments, that are tailored to each client’s needs.

Freedom to operate (FTO) in Italy and abroad

Through highly detailed research and access to the necessary databases, this service offers a thorough picture of the Freedom to Operate of a potential product or conduct, identifying any previous patent rights that could hinder the client’s commercial activities in a given geographical area.

Technical and patent consultancy in legal disputes in Italy and abroad

Jacobacci & Partners has been assisting in delicate and complex patent disputes for over 140 years. Just think: we provided technical expertise in the litigation concerning the Edison light bulb in the late nineteenth century! Thanks to this experience, and many others, we are able to offer technical advice as party experts or acting ex officio in legal disputes in Italy and abroad.

Patent Landscape Report

This service provides an overview of the existing patents pertaining to a specific technology, within a particular country, region or globally. The results are presented in a Patent Landscape Report (PLR), which provides infographics, observations and recommendations based on the findings.

Design registration, in Italy and abroad

Registering designs and models offers stronger protection for these rights. However, there are a number of different procedural options that can be chosen, ranging from national to EU or international filings.

Management of Procedures at the Unified Patent Court (UPC)

We manage all procedures at the Unified Patent Court, a supranational court with jurisdiction over European and unitary patents, whose rulings are applicable in all states that have joined the relevant Agreement. We have a dedicated team of experts consisting of professionals who boast specific training related to the new rules of the UPC, and who are able to operate directly in the official languages provided for European patents.

Our patent team is at your disposal for any clarification or request to better protect your ideas. Do not hesitate to contact us!