IP RESOURCES
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) www.uspto.gov is the Federal agency for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks. In doing this, the USPTO fulfills the mandate of Article I, Section 8, Clause 8, of the Constitution that the Executive branch "promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries." The USPTO registers trademarks based on the Commerce Clause of the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3).
Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations http://form.sunbiz.org/cor_t.html serves as the state´s central location for a number of commercial activities that include a variety of business entity filings, trade and service mark registrations.
The United States Copyright Office www.copyright.gov is an office of record, a place where claims to copyright are registered and where documents relating to copyright may be recorded when the requirements of the copyright law are met. The Copyright Office furnishes information about the provisions of the copyright law and the procedures for making a registration or recordation, explains the operations and practices of the Copyright Office, and reports on facts found in the public records of the Office. The Office also administers the mandatory deposit provisions of the copyright law and the various compulsory licensing provisions of the law, which include collecting royalties.
The World Intellectual Property Organization www.wipo.int (WIPO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property (IP) system, which rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and contributes to economic development while safeguarding the public interest. WIPO was established by the WIPO Convention in 1967 with a mandate from its Member States to promote the protection of IP throughout the world through cooperation among states and in collaboration with other international organizations. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. The Director General is Francis Gurry.
The United States Customs & Boarder Patrol www.cbp.gov CBP protects businesses and consumers every day by combating the trade in counterfeit and pirated goods through an aggressive IPR enforcement program. CBP targets and seizes imports of counterfeit and pirated goods, and enforces exclusion orders on patent-infringing and other IPR violative goods issued by the U.S. International Trade Commission.
The Office of Intellectual Property Rights www.stopfakes.gov (OIPR) of the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration works with U.S. firms to help them protect their intellectual property abroad. Commerce experts can suggest strategies to evaluate IPR problems encountered abroad and will work with our Embassies around the world to pursue a course of action for resolution of the problems. In many cases, the U.S. government can provide companies with information to aid in navigating a foreign government's legal system, including lists of local investigative firms and attorneys, and share experiences and expertise in that country. However, the government cannot provide American companies with legal advice or advocate on a company's behalf when a matter is before a court or administrative agency. Companies can contact OIPR with complaints by telephone at (866) 999-HALT (4258) or hq-intranet04.ita.doc.gov/bid/stopfakes/ask_question.asp.
Franklin Pierce Law Center IP Mall www.ipmall.fplc.edu/ is an internationally renowned intellectual property law resource. The Law Center is also where Attorney Burgk earned her J.D. and Masters on intellectual property law.