Overview
Blockchain provides a promising, virtually tamper-proof platform for tracing IP ownership licenses. Rothwell Figg understands how the technological and legal evolution of blockchain can protect businesses that are either based on blockchain technology or regularly use blockchain to execute or protect their transactions.
The firm’s blockchain experience ranges from brand protection and patent preparation, to executing smart contracts for the licensing of IP, to protecting copyrighted content and helping to safeguard against infringement through reducing counterfeits, to litigating complex commercial litigation based upon novel issues, to providing regulatory and criminal defense on the leading edge of blockchain issues. Our lawyers work diligently with clients to understand and incorporate streaming media into their bigger picture planning and the utilization of blockchain technology as a vehicle to protect against unauthorized sharing and a venue for royalty audits, as well as for “mining” particularly large chains to establish and confirm ownership.
Notably, we advise and guide business clients, particularly those involved in the apparel, sports, banking, collectibles, games, and art and entertainment industries, on the commercial application of blockchain and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), including proper documentation of their transactions, how to describe products and services, and other smart contract issues such as supply chain tracking and the like. Some of our lawyers were involved in pioneering a system developed to assist clients in managing and substantiating proof of trademark use by recording their use in the blockchain.
Because many of our attorneys are computer scientists by training, our team is comprised of multiple lawyers with blockchain experience who can work with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on blockchain-related matters. Our experience in blockchain, both in patent and business applications, as well as in the trademark realm, reaches all the way back to the commercial inception of this technology. This allows our clients to overcome what otherwise can be particularly challenging because they may or may not understand blockchain and blockchain terminology and oftentimes, we work with them to get up to speed.
Similarly, we have technology and business litigators who have been litigating blockchain issues for years. This blockchain litigation and regulatory experience gives us a marked advantage over other lawyers who are new to this technological space.
In addition, we advise clients on blockchain outside the U.S. involving trademarks, copyright, patents, and the like. Internationally, we focus on what descriptions are appropriate for specific countries and regions — all of which possess differing degrees of understanding NFTs and blockchain in general.