FAQ
What type of law firm is Rooney IP?
Rooney IP is an intellectual property boutique or specialty law firm. We are a small firm of less than 10 lawyers, and each is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Each lawyer also has a technical degree in science or engineering to help them understand the many different technologies and issues that often arise.
Where are you located?
Rooney IP is located in Cincinnati, Ohio. We have a national practice in patents, trademarks and copyright law. We also maintain close contacts with many experienced intellectual property legal associates around the world to ensure that our clients with international portfolios are well served.
Who are your clients?
Rooney IP services clients ranging in size from entrepreneurs to small businesses, large corporations and other organizations such as universities and non-profits. The product areas we handle range from consumer products to security systems, heavy equipment such as farm equipment and industrial technology, and a wide range of medical device and imaging technology. Generally, the technologies we deal with daily involve mechanical systems and devices, electro-mechanical systems and devices, electronic controls, chemical compositions, pharmaceutical innovations, and many other associated technologies.
How do you charge for your services?
In our experience one of the most common issues causing unexpected, high legal costs is a disconnect between the expectations of the client and the approach taken by the law firm. We have many services that are billed with a fixed or flat fee. Clients should expect those services that involve hourly work to be handled effectively, efficiently and within expectations. For those clients who submit budgets to us and expect billings to be within budget, we undertake the representation with the understanding that work will be accomplished within budget and on time while meeting everyone’s expectations.
What sets Rooney IP from other law firms?
At Rooney IP, we staff each matter appropriately for the circumstances and have deeply experienced lawyers and paralegals for this purpose. At other firms, clients may have lawyers working on their matters who they have never met or even spoken to, and those lawyers may be incentivized by the firm to maximize billings as opposed to maximizing value to the client. You will know your lawyer at Rooney IP and we continually communicate with you with resolution of your issue and maximum value firmly in mind.
Do you handle litigation and enforcement issues related to IP?
Yes, we have significant experience handling both enforcement and defense of clients’ intellectual property. Should a trial team be necessary for any particular dispute, Rooney IP has close contacts with trial co-counsel and the track record to expect resolution of even the most complex cases.
Does Rooney IP handle intellectual property diligence investigations such as might occur during an acquisition or other business activity to help ensure a clear path forward?
Yes, Rooney IP has many years of experience performing intellectual property diligence for clients. Examples include investigations related to determining patentability, freedom-to-practice, portfolio enforcement strength and validity, trademark clearance, and many other areas of due diligence tailored to the needs of a client.