What Are Riparian Rights? The vast majority of our state is surrounded by water: coastlines, rivers, streams, lakes, and waterways. Often, owners of waterfront property end up in disputes over what are called riparian rights. Riparian rights are simply those rights for which a waterfront property owner owns upload property that extends to the normal […]
Widerman Malek Law Blog
Decrease in Patent Cooperation Treaty Fees
In the world we live in with record inflation and price increases, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has announced that the fees associated with certain filings for the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) have decreased effective January 1, 2023. The complete US Patent Office fee schedule can be found here. The specific fees that […]
Widerman Malek Client, Carol Craig, Featured on Good Morning America
On Monday, November 14, 2022, Carol Craig, Founder and CEO of Sidus Space, was featured on Good Morning America during their Trailblazing Women series. This series focuses on women that are breaking barriers in various industries and serving as examples/role models to younger women. This feature was very special to the Widerman Malek team as […]
Patent Office Introduces AI Capability for Search
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) introduced new artificial intelligence (AI) capability for examiner searching. The bulletin regarding this announcement can be found here. In the bulletin, it is explained that the AI system can be used by examiners to assist in conducting searches for prior art during the examination process of the […]
International Patent Application Strategies
There are different standards in the United States regarding what is patentable and not compared to foreign jurisdictions, notably in the Japanese and European Patent offices. The decision to pursue foreign protection is not just about what markets you are interested in but also about the viability of getting protection in those markets. In the […]
Less Than Half of Americans Have a Will
I ran across an article by Gallup that found that less than half of Americans (46%) have a Will. To be honest, I figured it would be lower than that. So many people want to avoid the topic of death that I think it prevents a lot of people from even contemplating executing a Will. […]
How a Florida Land Trust Can Help Investors Buy Properties When Taking Over Mortgage Payments
Florida real estate investors have long used land trusts as a versatile legal tool with multiple benefits. The basic framework of a land trust is as follows: The property owner conveys title through a deed to the new owner, the trust. The trustee of the trust holds legal title, while the beneficiary owns a beneficial interest in […]
5 Benefits of a Trademark and Why You Need One to Protect Your Intellectual Property
Trademarks are the building blocks for the success of a new company. There are numerous reasons why a company or an individual needs to secure a trademark, including: 1. Brand Protection The public identifies a trademark and then separates the products and services from the other products and services in that field, creating brand recognition […]
Inappropriate Harassment in the Workplace | A Primer for Florida Employers
Running a business is tough these days … for many reasons. Business owners and senior managers don’t need internal strife among their employees. Any business with employees must be ever conscious of this fact and have a definitive program to: Prohibit inappropriate harassment of employees. Minimize claims and legal actions against the company for such […]
Understanding Eminent Domain
An eminent domain case usually starts before the case is filed in the courts. The state agency or the private company that has given the power of Eminent Domain through the Florida Statutes will usually contact the landowner and try to negotiate a purchase price for the property well in advance of the government or […]
