Saturday, March 14, 2015

Why A Patent Litigation Contingency Fee Agreement Is Beneficial

By Lena Stephenson


A patent is a right to exclude other enterprises or people from using, making or selling an invention. Patent infringement occurs if another entity besides the person or company that owns the patented invention makes, sells or uses it. Patent litigation is the lawsuit that results from this intellectual property infringement dispute.

In order to win a patent infringement claim, a person is required to prove that the offending party has infringed on his or her intellectual property by using it without consent. The offender will then attempt to prove that the patent is either invalid, unenforceable or that he or she has not used it without authorization. The attorney fees associated with filing such a case are usually very high. This is one of the reasons that have led to the popularity of patent litigation contingency fee agreements.

If you opt for a contingency fee agreement, you can pay lower out of pocket expenses. This agreement does away with lawyer fees. However, you will still be responsible for meeting the costs of litigation. These include filing fees and the costs associated with transcripts, depositions, travel and compensating expert witnesses.

A contingency fee agreement can also give you the best opportunity to file a lawsuit that may have been too expensive to file. This arrangement also helps lower the risk of litigation. You will only pay an intellectual property attorney if the outcome is good. In this arrangement, the attorney will also have the incentive to settle your case if settling it is beneficial for you.

As your case progresses, the defendant and his or her lawyers may offer to settle it by paying an amount that is less than the amount you are seeking. If weaknesses have appeared in your case, the lawyer may urge you to consider settlement. However, if the professional is confident that you will win the case, he or she will advise you to wait until the end, because a large damages award will also be beneficial for him or her.

When intellectual property lawyers work on a contingent fee basis, they do their best to ensure that the litigation process is cost effective and not time consuming. On the contrary, law firms that charge their clients by the hour usually conduct many long depositions, prepare long proceedings and send several attorneys to hearings and conferences. This often increases the number of hours worked on a case. This usually does not take place if lawyers are charging a contingency fee.

After you contact an intellectual property lawyer, he or she will evaluate your case thoroughly to determine if there is a chance for getting a large settlement. If your case has many issues, is weak or is not credible, the attorney may not take it. If an attorney agrees to represent you, this is a good sign that he or she is sure that after putting in adequate effort, the outcome will be good.

You can raise the chances of having a good outcome by assisting your lawyer when possible. For instance, you should provide the professional with any requested information quickly. It is important to have a good working relationship with an attorney in a case involving intellectual property infringement case because you are partners who will share the rewards of a successful outcome.




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