A Couple of Thoughts about Patents and NDA’s
At SCORE I meet a lot of clients who want help filing a patent application or drafting an NDA (Non-disclosure Agreement). There’s a lot of fear out there about someone stealing a patentable idea. And with good reason. If you build a better mousetrap, odds are that somebody, somewhere (not naming any names here . . . (China)) will copy and sell it at a fraction of your price. So, how do you protect yourself? Applying for a patent and handing out Non-disclosure Agreements is one way, and I’m not knocking it (or trying to put my patent lawyer friends out of business). But remember: a patent is only as good as your willingness to sue to protect it. And such suits can be very, very time consuming and expensive. Read more
Perfect Agreement 