[USE CASE] Boutique IP Law Firm Realizes Big Client Benefits with MultiLing

Challenge : European Patent Validation Costs Too High for Patentee

With 160 attorneys, scientific advisors and patent agents who specialize in intellectual property, Brinks Gilson & Lione (Brinks) is one of the largest IP law firms in the United States. Clients around the world use Brinks to help them identify, protect, manage and enforce their intellectual property. Brinks lawyers provide expertise in all aspects of patent, trademark, unfair competition, trade secret and copyright law. Based in Chicago, Brinks has offices in Washington, D.C., Research Triangle Park, N.C., Ann Arbor, Detroit, Salt Lake City and Indianapolis.

In 2013, a small pharmaceutical company working with Brinks had successfully obtained European patent rights, which meant its patent needed to be validated in each country where the company wanted its rights preserved.

The client initially felt it could afford to validate the patent in 10 countries (a handful of which required translations), but the initial quote by a foreign agent was significantly higher than the patentee believed it should invest.

The client was concerned it would need to cut back on the number of countries in which it was seeking validation, consequently forgoing IP protection in some countries. The client wasn’t ready to give up, however, so it asked Brinks to find an alternative solution: an IP translation service that also offers validation services.