Resources

American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)

The AIPLA was formed in 1897. It is a national bar association constituted primarily of lawyers in private and corporate practice, in government service, and in the academic community, with more than 16,000 members representing both owners and users of intellectual property.

European Patent Office (EPO)

The EPO provides a consistent application procedure for individual inventors and companies seeking patent protection in up to 37 European countries. It is the executive arm of the European Patent Organization and is supervised by the Administrative Council.

Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO)

IPO is a trade association for the owners of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, and it is the only group in the U.S. that serves all intellectual property owners in all industries and all fields of technology.

International Trademark Association

The INTA is a not-for-profit membership association dedicated to the support and advancement of trademarks and related intellectual property as elements of fair and effective national and international commerce.

United States Copyright Office

A department in the Library of Congress, the U.S. Copyright Office registers claims to copyright and mask works (semiconductor chip designs). It also provides technical assistance to Congress and information and reference services to the public concerning copyrights and recorded documents. Since its creation in 1870, the Copyright Office has registered more than 30,000,000 claims to copyright and mask works.

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

The Federal Circuit was formed in 1982 by the merger of the U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals and the U.S. Court of Claims. The court consists of 12 judges led by Chief Judge, Paul Michel. The court usually meets once a month in Washington, D.C., and hears appeals related to intellectual property matters.

United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO)

The federal agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that processes, reviews and approves applications for patents and trademarks. The USPTO also establishes rules to govern the application process for patents and trademarks.

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

The WIPO, established in 1967 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, is an agency of the United Nations. It is dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property system which rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and contributes to economic development while safeguarding the public interest.