Customer Reviews

The Entrepreneur's Guide to Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks, Trade Secrets & Licensing

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As the author makes clear, this book is no substitute for competent legal advice, but you'll be FAR more likely to receive legal advice you can use if you read this book first. Gilbert explains intellectual property (IP) alternatives, issues, and procedures in a style and language you can understand. She makes clear that many issues are NOT clear and helps you understand applicability and consequences of choices such as copyright vs. design patent protections. While she outlines history to help you understand the context, her perspective and knowledge of technologies is decidedly current, with considerations for the protection of business methods and software figuring prominently. Gilbert should absolutely be required reading for anyone who thinks they have a great idea.

Trying to help a friend who has an idea for an invention, I picked up this book to try to get the process rolling. This guide really educated me, giving me so much necessary information and the examples of actual cases helped to clarify questions I had. The author has a real handle on the subject and she is very thorough and detailed without being boring.

This is a wonderful book. For starters, it's well written, nicely organized, and easy to read. Just as important, it's targeted to entrepreneurs and does a great job of focusing on the issues that relate to starting and growing a new business venture -- rather than simply covering the technicalities of patent drafting, for example.

Perhaps the most valuable contribution this book can make for most entrepreneurs, especially those involved in technology-based ventures, is that it provides a strong foundation for conversations with an attorney. At the end of the day, most of us rely on the expert counsel of a patent attorney (or corporate attorney specializing in licensing transactions, for example). Being prepared to ask the right questions, present the relevant information, etc. is invaluable. It is also cost-effective. Beyond the simple fact that you'll learn a lot by reading this book, if you're using (paying for) patent counsel in any US city this book will pay for itself in about 10 minutes or less.

Steven K. Gold
Author, Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture

This is a great resource for the entrepreneur who needs to navigate the complex legal world of patents, copyrights, etc... I am currently working on these issues and I have found this easy to use guide a tremendous asset.

It is well written and a partical resource for anyone dealing with these issues.

RH

Definitive guide on patents, trademarks, copyrights, tradescrets, licensing. I especially enjoyed the use of entertaining anecdotes, like the case of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders suing the producers of the movie "Debbie Does Dallas" to explain trademark tarnishment.

As owner of a company that does custom, innovative ornamental iron work, I am very concerned about creative and intellectual property issues. This book hits the mark!

As a sales engineer for a software company, I often get involved in contract negotiations and issues surrounding copyrights, licensing and trade secrets. I initially picked up this book to use as a reference guide on these topics. When I began scanning through it, however, I got drawn further and further in between the covers. The book is well organized and is fun and easy to read/understand for a non-technical person like me. It covers recent and relevant information and provides tons of interesting examples, special notes and reference footnotes. I found it extremely informative and very entertaining.

I looked at a handful of books on the subject, and this one was the easiest to read, the most succinct, and yet still the most comprehensive. Rather than rambling, it just gets to the point in an enjoyable way.

As an IT professional and daughter of an entrepeneur with over 50 patents, I have been surrounded by Intellectual Property discussions my whole life. This book has provided me with a framework to better understand the concepts behind these often confusing issues. Even better, it did so in a readable and engaging manner. If only all of my technical education went this smoothly!

This book was fabulous. Easy reading. I would recommend it to anyone considering filing a patent or protect their business.