Practice Areas and Legal Definitions

Intellectual Property:
Intellectual property involves the rights of ownership of ideas, inventions, trade secrets, processes, programs, data, formulas, patents, copyrights, trade secrets, trade dress, service marks or trademarks, the application or registration (referred to as copyright, patent, trade dress, trade secret, trademark or intellectual property law) and the legal or illegal use of this property. The four main types of intellectual property are trademarks, patents, trade secrets and copyrights.

Intellectual property is the unique and non-obvious product of human intellect that has at least some marketplace value. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), intellectual property is divided into two categories: 1) Industrial Property: including inventions (patents), trademarks, industrial designs, and geographic indications of source; and 2) Copyright (Library/Artistic Property): including literary and artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, text and images on a World Wide Web (WWW) site, architectural designs, scientific publications, and artistic works such as drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures, as well as performing artists in their performances, producers of recordings, and broadcasters in their radio and television programs.

Trademark:
A trademark can be a logo, name, symbol, or device used to differentiate a product or service of one trader (or commercial entity) from that of another. It protects brand identity; e.g., McDonalds' golden arches. Trademark protection can be renewed as long as the mark is in use.

Patent:
A patent is the grant of right to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing an invention or discovery, including new and improved products and processes. Patents can be registered in foreign countries and last for 20 years. If the patent expires, the exclusive rights to make, use, sell or import the invention or discovery are lost.

Trade Secret:
A trade secret (covered by state rather than federal laws) includes formulas, patterns, devices or any compilation of data that gives a company a tangible advantage over its competitors; i.e. Coca Cola's formula for its soft drink.

Copyright:
A copyright is protection granted to authors of original authorship such as literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, and computer software, as well as performing artists in their performances, producers of recordings, and broadcasters in their radio and television programs; i.e. the creators of your favorite music CD, movie, or computer game have a copyright on their work. Copyrights last for the life of an author plus 50 years.

If you or someone you know in Texas needs the assistance of an experienced Houston Patent, Copyright and Law Attorney, call Karen Tripp today at 866-680-3413, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your initial consultation.

 

If you or someone you know in Texas needs the assistance of an experienced Houston Patent, Copyright and Law Attorney, call Karen Tripp today at 866-680-3413, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your initial consultation.

ADDRESS OF THE FIRM:
Karen B. Tripp, Attorney At Law
2245 Shakespeare Road
Houston, TX 77030
Telephone: 866-680-3413
Fax: 713-658-9410

MEMBERS OF THE FIRM:

Karen B. Tripp

BAR ADMISSIONS:

• State Courts of Texas 1981
• U.S. District Courts: Southern District of Texas 1982, Eastern District of Texas 1991, Northern District of Texas 1998, Western District of Texas (2005)
• U.S. Courts of Appeals: Federal Circuit 1983; Fifth Circuit 2000; Ninth Circuit 2000, Third Circuit 2001, Eleventh Circuit (2005)
• U.S. Supreme Court 1994
• Registered to practice before U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 1981

BAR ACTIVITIES:

• American Bar Association: Subcommittee Chairman, Ethics Committee, Intellectual Property Law Section 1994-1995
• American Intellectual Property Law Association: Member, Patent Law Committee 1995
• Texas Bar Association: Chairman International Law Committee, Intellectual Property Law Section 1987-1988, Member Outstanding Inventor Committee, Intellectual Law Section 1994-1995
• Houston Bar Association: Legal Line Volunteer 1995
• Houston Intellectual Property Law Association: Secretary 1987-1988, Chairman Awards Committee 1988-1989, Chairman Programs 1988-1991, Treasurer 1991-1992, Member Nominations Committee 1993 and 1996, Member Patent Student Education Committee 1994-1995, Member Giles Rich Moot Court Competition Committee 1994-1995, Chairman Outstanding Inventor Committee 1994-1995, Chairman Meetings and Programs Committee 1995-1996, Member Board of Directors 1992-1994 and 1998-2000
• HIPLA/Univ. Of Houston CLE Fall Institute on Intellectual Property: Chairman 2000
• Texas Bar Association Intellectual Property Law: Member, Conference Planning Committee 2003

PUBLICATIONS:
Ms. Tripp has done several articles over the years, and she did two this year for The IP Litigator and The Patent Journal. Ms. Tripp is also the editor of The Intellectual Property Law Review, an annual publication of the West Group.

The following is a partial list of Ms. Tripp's published works:

• Efforts to Copyright the Law, Recipes, and Other Tales Relating to How Far Some Attempt to Take Copyright, Intellectual Property--A Means for Worldwide Protection Conference, Center for International Legal Studies, October 20, 2004, Sunshine Coast, Australia;
• What Lawyers Can Copy in Daily Practice, Including the "Law", State Bar of Texas Intellectual Property Law CLE, March 6-8, 2003, Austin, Texas;
• To Traverse or Not to Traverse–Consequences of Restriction Requirements in United States Patent Practice, The Patent Journal (at press).
• Copyrighting the Law, Not! The IP Litigator (at press).
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW REVIEW 2006, The Thomson West Group, Rochester, NY, editor (at press).
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW REVIEW 2005, The Thomson West Group, Rochester, NY, editor (2005);
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW REVIEW 2004, The West Group, Rochester, NY, editor (2004);
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW REVIEW 2003, The West Group, Rochester, NY, editor (2003);
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW REVIEW 2002, The West Group, Rochester, NY, editor (2002).
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW REVIEW 2001, The West Group, Rochester, N.Y., editor (2001).
• Copyrights Where You Least Expect Them, University of Houston and the Houston Intellectual Property Law Association Continuing Legal Education Conference (November 8-10, 2001, Galveston, Texas).
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW REVIEW 2000, The West Group, New York, N.Y., editor (2000).
• U.S. and Foreign Patents, ETCE/OMAE 2000 Joint Conference, ASME International (Feb. 14-17, 2000, New Orleans, Louisiana).
• Internet Update, Houston Women's Energy Network Luncheon Presentation, (Nov. 10, 1999).
• Internet Update, Dallas Bar Association Computer Use and Technology Section Luncheon Presentation (June 28, 1999).
• Internet Update, State Bar of Texas Intellectual Property Law Institute (March 5-6, 1999, Austin, Texas).
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW REVIEW 1999, The West Group, New York, N.Y., editor (1999).
• Patents & Trade Secrets, ASME International Energy Sources Technology Conference & Exhibition (Feb. 1, 1999, Houston, Texas) with co-presenters; awarded "Best Session" award for Manufacturing Division.
• Patent Term Extensions, University of Houston and the Houston Intellectual Property Law Association Continuing Legal Education Conference (October 1-2, 1998, Galveston, Texas).
• The Pitfalls of Attorney-Client Privilege Waiver in Patent Law, ASME International Energy Sources Technology Conference & Exhibition (Feb. 3, 1998, Houston, Texas).
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW REVIEW 1998, Clark Boardman Callaghan/Thomson Legal Publishing, New York, N.Y., editor (1998).
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW REVIEW 1997, Clark Boardman Callaghan/Thomson Legal Publishing, New York, N.Y., editor (1997).
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW REVIEW 1996, Clark Boardman Callaghan/Thomson Legal Publishing, New York, N.Y., editor (1996).
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW REVIEW 1995, Clark Boardman Callaghan/Thomson Legal Publishing, New York, N.Y., editor (1995).
• A Summary of the Changes in U.S. Patent Law Effected by GATT/TRIPS Implementation Legislation, 14 CORPORATE COUNSEL REVIEW 93-103, with co-author (May 1995).
• Changes in U.S. Patent Law Effected by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act--The GATT Implementation Legislation, 3 TEXAS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW JOURNAL 315-342, with co-author (Spring 1995).
• What's New in Patent Law Since GATT, Coopers & Lybrand Intellectual Property Law Seminar, The Houstonian, Houston,Texas (June 19, 1996).
• Patent Aspects of GATT: A Panel Discussion, Thirty-Third Annual Institute on Patent Law, The Southwestern Legal Foundation, Dallas, Texas (November 9-10, 1995).
• Arnold, White & Durkee Saturday Morning CLE on Attorney-Client Privilege and Work Product Immunity (November 1994).
• "Damages," Remedies, 1992-93 PATENT LAW HANDBOOK, Clark Boardman Co., Ltd., New York, N.Y. (1992).
• Remedies, 1991-92 PATENT LAW HANDBOOK, Clark Boardman Co., Ltd., New York, N.Y. (1991).
• Remedies, 1990-91 PATENT LAW HANDBOOK, Clark Boardman Co., Ltd., New York, N.Y. (1990).
• Remedies, 1989-90 PATENT LAW HANDBOOK, Clark Boardman Co., Ltd., New York, N.Y. (1989).
• Remedies, 1988-89 PATENT LAW HANDBOOK, Clark Boardman Co., Ltd., New York, N.Y. (1988).
• Anticpation of the Section 2032A Valuation in Estate Planning to Preserve the Family Farm, 42 ALABAMA LAW 356-79 (July 1981)--winner of the Alabama State Bar ALABAMA LAWYER Legal Writing Award in 1981.
• When Can an Attorney Buy From an Estate or Entity He or His Firm Administered? 5 J. LEGAL PROFESSION 160-177 (1980)--awarded the Henderson M. Somerville Law Prize in 1981.

OTHER ACTIVITIES:

• Women In Technology, Houston: Founder 1994-present
• Midtown Business Forum: Member 1988-1991
• Yale Club of Houston: Member Program Committee 1999 and Lil Eli's Club Originator