Ed. Note: The following content was provided by Wade Skalsky, who is a client of KHTS AM-1220.
Individuals with questions about the legal matters involved with business startups and inventions found answers Sunday on Santa Clarita defense attorney Wade Skalsky’s new KHTS AM-1220 show, “Wade Beyond the Courtroom.”
Sponsored Articles
Mechanical engineer Robert Scott Evans, who specializes in consulting work for products and manufacturing processes in their early stages, joined Skalsky to discuss the issue of intellectual property in the business world.
“If you’re in the intellectual property business, you’re ultimately talking about the courtroom,” Evans said. “You want to have somebody that’s got the expertise to build your contracts and patents in such a way that they will stand up really well in court.”
Having solid patents and contracts for intellectual property is vital to ensure no other individual or company can attempt to claim ownership of it, Evans continued.
Related: Santa Clarita Defense Attorney Reveals Truth About Courtroom Movies
“When you’re a little guy, you have a new company or you’ve invented something, one of the hazards is that a large, well-funded company will see that you’ve identified a market that wants this new widget that you have,” he said. “Then they put their resources on it and sort of beat you to the punch.”
The goal for any startup or invention is always to avoid going to court over ownership matters, so according to Evans, “You have to be playing courtroom games when you’re writing your patent.”
Similarly, individuals working for big companies should be aware of the legal rights they may or may not have to the intellectual property they develop for their employers.
For instance, “The guy that invented the USB port didn’t get any extra money from it in terms of it’s not (legally) his invention,” Skalsky said. “He was captive to (a big company).”
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.“That’s all based on the employment agreement that you have with your employer,” Evans added. “Inside that agreement, it’s going to describe how the intellectual property you generate while you’re working for them is handled.”
For more “Wade Beyond the Courtroom,” tune into KHTS AM-1220 Sunday mornings from 10 to 10:30 a.m. or view a full list of the show’s podcasts here.
Law Offices of Wade J. Skalsky
450 N. Brand Blvd, Suite 600
Glendale, CA 91203
Toll-free: 800-836-1120
Phone: 855-873-9233