Dedicated ToProtecting Intellectual Property
Olive & Olive has been a recognized leader in the field of intellectual property law since 1957. During that time, our firm has focused exclusively on protecting, enforcing, and defending the ideas, inventions, scientific and creative works, trademarks, and other intellectual property of clients in North Carolina, the U.S., and around the world. We understand the importance of our clients' intellectual property assets. We know how to maximize the value of those assets. We devise IP strategies to help our clients achieve their most critical business objectives.
PremierService
60+ Years ofExcellence
ComprehensiveIntellectual Property Services
Olive & Olive covers all IP bases. We provide full-spectrum services so our clients can reach their present goals and keep climbing into the future.
The Clients& IndustriesWe Serve
Olive & Olive means business. Our legal team combines IP expertise with an extensive background in science, industry, and technology. That makes us uniquely positioned to protect the inventions and ideas of clients of all sizes and shapes – from universities, business owners, start-up companies, and large corporations to single inventors, authors, artists, and other creative individuals. We offer a diverse, seasoned and highly-skilled team of intellectual property professionals experienced in meeting the IP needs of clients across a wide range of industries and sectors, including:
Our ApproachTo Intellectual Property
IP Law is all we do. For more than 60 years, Olive & Olive has maintained a laser focus on protecting the intellectual property rights of our clients. We deliver personalized counsel and full-service representation to protect, enforce, monetize and defend their intellectual property assets.
The attorneys at Olive & Olive are friendly and approachable experts who put our clients' interests first. We believe in listening as much as talking. And when we do talk, we speak the same language as our clients, not legalese. We help our clients prioritize their goals, evaluate options, and develop action plans for success.
Our firm prides itself on delivering intellectual property services grounded in sound business sense, not just legal formalities. We know IP law - and we know how to mesh business reality with that law. Whether our clients come to us with an idea that needs protecting, a new product or book, a business that needs a name, or a patent, trademark, or copyright dispute, they trust us to look out for their business interests and their bottom line.
Olive & Olive doesn't just solve problems. We build client relationships that stand the test of time. Many of our clients have been with us continuously for decades. We take care of their ongoing patent, trademark, and copyright needs. Others return for help when new IP opportunities and challenges arise. Our clients refer us to their friends, family and colleagues. Attorneys regularly send us case because they trust our experience, expertise, ethics and professionalism. We value these long-term relationships, and we work hard to retain their trust.
Frequently Asked QuestionsAbout Intellectual Property Law
What is intellectual property?
Intellectual property (often abbreviated as "IP") refers to property of the "intellect" (created by the mind). The term covers inventions and ideas; literary and artistic works; designs; symbols, names and images used for commercial identification; and trade secrets. Exploring our website will give you many more specific examples of intellectual property. The creators or owners of intellectual property typically hold the exclusive legal rights to exploit their work, but in many cases those rights can be lost if appropriate steps aren't taken to protect them.
What are Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks?
Patents, copyrights and trademarks are types of intellectual property. Patents protect inventions by preventing unauthorized production, sale or use of the invention for a set number of years. Copyrights give creators of creative works (anything from a book to a song, software program, or architectural design) the legal right to prevent others from copying their works (but not the underlying ideas) for a defined period. Trademarks are distinctive words, designs, and other indicia used to identify and distinguish commercial products and services. Trademarks do not expire after a set number of years, although registrations require periodic renewal, and the legal rights initially belong to the first user of the mark or the first person to apply for federal trademark registration.
When do I Need an IP attorney?
Are you creating, buying or selling intellectual property? Did you get a cease and desist letter claiming that you are infringing a patent, trademark, or copyright? Is someone infringing your rights, or violating an IP agreement? Legal advice at the outset can be the ounce of prevention that saves many dollars and anxious hours of cure. At Olive & Olive we believe in reviewing your individual situation to determine whether your IP assets should be protected or defended, and then working with you to develop appropriate, practical strategies to secure your rights. You can also use our IP Learning Center to develop a basic understanding of intellectual property rights, contracts, and enforcement.