PracticesIntellectual Property

Strategic Counseling & Diligence

We provide clients with forward-looking intellectual property ("IP") strategies that bridge the critical areas between and among prosecution, licensing and litigation. Our focus is on aligning IP assets with business goals, reducing risk and creating opportunities. With deep experience advising innovative companies, we offer flexible support that can scale from targeted projects to integrated team coverage. Our strategic IP counseling includes:

Third-Party Threat Analysis – Assessing risks posed by competitor IP and mitigating potential disputes. Portfolio Analysis, Prioritization & Coverage – Ensuring your IP investments align with product and business priorities. Competitive Intelligence – Monitoring competitors’ products and patent portfolios to guide strategic decisions. Patent Harvesting & Invention Pipeline Development – Building systems that capture innovation effectively. Patent and Trademark Purchasing & Licensing – Supporting acquisition, monetization, and licensing opportunities. Embedded Outside Counsel & Interim Coverage – Providing seamless support to supplement in-house teams. Other Strategic Initiatives – Tailored solutions to meet unique client needs.

Our team partners with clients as an extension of their business, providing the insight, flexibility and focus needed to navigate today’s competitive IP landscape.

Core Services

Assessing risks posed by competitor IP and mitigating potential disputes.

We assess patent assertions, and competitor patents and IP positions to identify and mitigate risks. Our analysis helps companies anticipate challenges, evaluate the strength of third-party rights and develop strategies that protect innovation while maintaining freedom to operate in fast-moving markets.

Ensuring your IP investments align with product and business priorities.

We provide in-depth reviews of existing portfolios to ensure alignment with product and business objectives. By prioritizing patents based on strategic value and coverage, we help clients optimize resources, strengthen defensibility and focus on assets that deliver meaningful competitive advantage. And similarly with respect to trademarks, we examine portfolios to ensure alignment with clients’ business and geographic footprint.

Monitoring competitors’ products and patent portfolios to guide strategic decisions.

We monitor competitor products and patent activity to uncover strategic insights. By analyzing emerging trends and identifying gaps or overlaps in coverage, we equip clients with actionable intelligence that informs R&D decisions, guides IP strategy and supports long-term business positioning.

Building systems that capture innovation effectively.

We work with engineering and product teams to establish effective processes for capturing and evaluating innovation. From brainstorming sessions to structured disclosure programs, we help clients build a consistent invention pipeline that translates technical advances into strong, well-positioned patent filings.

Supporting acquisition, monetization and licensing opportunities.

We assist companies in identifying, acquiring or licensing patents that fill strategic gaps, mitigate risk or support growth initiatives. With a pragmatic approach to valuation and negotiation, we help clients maximize opportunities while minimizing costs and exposure. Similarly, we help clients acquire trademark rights to help mitigate risk of third party challenges.

Tailored solutions to meet unique client needs.

Every company’s needs are unique. We design and implement custom strategies that address specialized challenges—from structuring patent pools to preparing for key transactions to embedding with in-house teams—helping clients safeguard innovation, enhance valuation and position their IP portfolios for long-term success.

Areas of Expertise

Our Practice Group Members

Our Technology Transactions attorneys are business-minded problem solvers,
focused on helping you build, protect, and commercialize your technology.
  Browse attorney profiles to find the right partner for your needs. If you would like
assistance selecting a member of our team, please contact us.

Benjamin J. Carroll

Benjamin J. Carroll

Counsel

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Brian M. Davis

Brian M. Davis

Partner

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David J. Thibodeau

David J. Thibodeau

Partner

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Dianne E. Reed

Dianne E. Reed

Partner

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Doreen Y. Trujillo

Doreen Y. Trujillo

Partner

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Jim A.D. White

Jim A.D. White

Partner

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Kurt T. Mulville

Kurt T. Mulville

Partner

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Lance Topham

Lance Topham

Partner

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Michael Meehan

Michael Meehan

Partner

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Scott R. Austin

Scott R. Austin

Of Counsel

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Timothy J. Lyden

Timothy J. Lyden

Partner

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WHY WORK WITH VLP

Senior-level attention backed by proven experience.

Every client relationship at VLP is partner-led, strategy-driven, and tailored for today's complex business landscape. Our seasoned attorneys combine the expertise and polish of Big Law with the responsiveness of an elite, lean team – you will always work with a senior attorney – giving you confidence, clarity, and experienced insight in every matter you entrust to us.

OUR ATTORNEYS
AVERAGE

27+

YEARS EXPERIENCE 

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