You are in-house counsel for a company with multiple subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or abroad. In one common scenario, two or more subsidiaries are producing related innovations. In another common scenario, multiple subsidiaries desire to collaborate in developing joint innovations. In yet another common scenario, multiple subsidiaries that collaborate in developing joint innovations are in different countries. Do the above scenarios create IP-related issues? Yes. This article provides practical tips addressing IP-related issues surrounding these common scenarios.

File all patent applications in the name of a single holding company

What steps may the company and subsidiaries take to protect their respective innovations in the scenario where two or more subsidiaries produce related innovations?