Texas Trademarks, Copyrights, Patents and Intellectual Property Rights Lawyers

Gagnon, Peacock, Shanklin & Vereeke, P.C.

4245 North Central Expressway, Suite 250
Dallas, Texas 75205
USA

(214) 736-1334 or (888) 312-1750

(214) 824-5490

www.dallas-ip.com

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At the law firm of Gagnon, Peacock, Shanklin & Vereeke, P.C., our attorneys provide aggressive intellectual property representation to individuals and businesses throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. We provide highly competent counseling and representation in patent and trademark prosecution before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, copyright prosecution before the U.S. Copyright Office and comprehensive intellectual property litigation in both federal and Texas state courts.

For three decades, attorneys with Gagnon, Peacock, Shanklin & Vereeke, P.C., have provided aggressive, effective litigation representation for clients throughout the state of Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. We understand the complex issues and hardships you may be facing due to your intellectual property issue. We are committed to protecting your rights, as well as your business interests.

Our Texas law firm takes a team approach to intellectual property litigation cases. Aaron P. Peacock is a United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) registered attorney who has dedicated his legal career to pursuing intellectual property resolutions. He understands the complicated procedures involved with registering and protecting intellectual property.

A hallmark of our practice is our commitment to a high level of communication with our clients. We strive to keep you fully informed of all developments in your case, as well as our legal strategy moving forward. Our informed guidance ensures that you will have a strong sense of where you are headed, as well as an honest assessment of your likelihood of success. We provide detailed information at every stage of your case so that you can make educated decisions about how you want to proceed.

Practice Areas

Practice Areas Description

- Intellectual Property

If you own a patent, trademark or copyright, it may be one of the most valuable assets you or your company possesses. When others use your intellectual property without permission, it has a negative effect on your bottom line. You need to aggressively protect your interests. Our Texas intellectual property litigation attorneys will stand by your side to protect your rights in court. We have extensive experience on both sides of the docket. We will aggressively advocate for the enforcement of your patent, trademark or copyright. Our lawyers also provide diligent defense for clients sued for infringement.

- Patent Law

Our patent law practice can include: conducting a patentability search; conducting a freedom to operate search; preparing, drafting and filing a patent application; responding to office actions from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; preparing and filing an appeal with the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences and with the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals; and preparing infringement and non-infringement legal opinions. Our patent attorneys have helped individuals and businesses obtain patent protection in a wide array of art. Just to name a few, for example, our patent lawyers have assisted clients across a broad spectrum of scientific technologies, including e-commerce and business methods, computer hardware and software, electrical and electronic components, mechanical devices and components of any complexity.

- Trademark Law

Your trademarks are crucial to the success of your business. Trademarks and service marks provide the public with the ability to associate your business with its products and services. They can include words, names, symbols, sounds, scents or colors that identify the source of goods and services and distinguish them from those manufactured or sold by others. The rights associated with a trademark and trademark logo can exist solely on the basis of a business' or seller's use of them. You need not register your trademark with the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office to have rights in the mark. As long as you use the mark in commerce, you retain specific rights. However, federal trademark registration can provide your business with additional legal protection, as well as additional legal benefits by providing notice to the public of your claim of ownership in the mark.

- Copyright Law

The Copyright Act grants protection to a wide range of material, including: literary works, musical work, dramatic work; pantomime and choreographic work, pictorial, graphic and sculptural work, motion pictures and other audio visual work, sound recordings and architectural work. Additionally, the Copyright Act grants to authors the exclusive right to: reproduce the copyrighted work; prepare derivative work based on the copyrighted work; distribute copies of the copyrighted work; perform the copyrighted work publicly; display the copyrighted work publicly; and sound recording* (perform publicly by means of digital audio transmission). From poetry to software, our Texas law firm can help you register the copyright in your work.

- Unfair Competition

Texas state law prohibits unfair competition. Our litigation lawyers understand the serious financial consequences associated with unfair competition practices. We also understand how the substantial time, talent and energy you dedicated to your business could be jeopardized practically overnight. Texas law provides protection from actions arising out of business conduct which are contrary to honest practices in industry. Additionally, federal law provides protection against the confusion caused by a person or business entity concerning the source of origin of a product or service. Unfair competition can be as simple as a person or entity passing off his goods as those of another, by virtue leading to confusion by the customer.

- Trade Secrets

One of the most important decisions a business must make is whether to seek trade secret protection. If the business seeks trade secret protection, the business must create procedures which ensure the reasonable protection of the trade secret. Trade secret law provides protection for a wide range of materials, including: formulas, computer hardware, computer software, technical specifications, product design, blueprints and drawings, machine and machine modifications, process and technical procedures, business methods, customer lists and corporate "know-how". If your trade secret has been misappropriated, you may have the right to recover lost profits, monetary damages, statutory damages and attorney fees. You may even be entitled to equitable relief, including preliminary and permanent injunctions to prohibit any further misappropriation.

- Licensing

Licenses provide persons or entities with permissions that would otherwise be unlawful. To be successful, your licensing agreement must be detailed — addressing every aspect of your business relationship. We understand the financial and legal harm associated with improperly drafted licensing agreements. We provide competent representation tailored specifically to your unique needs. Our comprehensive representation includes the following aspects of licensing agreements: negotiation. We will negotiate to achieve the best and most favorable contractual language on your behalf; preparation. We will properly prepare and draft your agreement; protection. We will include effective protections for you within the agreement; and enforcement. If the agreement becomes the subject of litigation, we can protect your rights through litigation and trial.

- Trade Dress

Trade dress is defined as the total image and overall appearance of a business and/or its products. The overall appearance of your business encompasses many features, including size, shape, color, texture, graphics, etc. If a person or business infringes on the trade dress of your company or product, you could suffer significant financial harm. Traditionally, product packaging and related configurations were the most common types of trade dress. However, recent case law has expanded trade dress law to include the various other elements such as color design, menus and graphics used in restaurants and other types of commercial, retail entities. We can present the facts of your case to demonstrate to the court that your company's trade dress rights have been violated.

- Domain Name Disputes

Our attorneys counsel clients concerning the various options available to them in domain name disputes. One option that an aggrieved trademark owner has against a cybersquatter or typosquatter is to initiate an arbitration proceeding under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). Remedies of this proceeding include: cancellation of the domain name or transfer of the name from the registrant to the trademark owner. Filing your complaint under the UDRP does not offer injunctive or monetary relief. A second option that an aggrieved trademark owner has against a cybersquatter or typosquatter is to initiate a lawsuit under the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA).

Attorneys

	Ms. Doli G. Gagnon Attorney Foreclosure, Personal Injury, Trademark		Mr. Jack B. Peacock Jr. Attorney Intellectual Property
	Ms. Cynthia K. Shanklin Associate Commercial Litigation, Consumer Law, Insurance		Mr. David M. Vereeke Attorney Commercial Litigation, Negligence, Personal Injury