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Intellectual PropertyFrom trademark searches to rights in patents and copyright, license agreements and responses to warning letters, our attorneys review each matter in connection with your business plan.

Free consultation Why LegalAgent
Response time
1 business day*
First consultation
30 min free
Scope
Trademarks · Patents · Copyright · Licenses

* As a rule, for contract reviews and routine legal questions. For complex or urgent matters we propose a schedule that fits the matter.

Client companies served*

150+

Selected clients shown, in no particular order. * Clients and partners. Not limited to Intellectual Property matters.

KADOKAWA FRONTEO YAMAP ACROVE LAPRAS AVA Intelligence OPTIEUM Biotechnologies ReDelta Concrew LINEA Innovations TECHSUITE YStory

Securing rights and contracts, tied to your business plan

Regardless of industry, we support you from confirming rights in trademarks, patents, designs and copyright, through sorting out ownership in license and joint development agreements, to the initial response when you receive a warning letter. We review ownership of rights separately from the scope in which they can be used, and confirm that you have secured the scope of use your business needs. If you plan a fundraising or M&A, we also consider how to organize your IP for disclosure.

  • A new service announcement is being prepared without a trademark search
  • You want to check the IP ownership clause in a joint development agreement before signing
  • You have received a draft license agreement with vague terms on consideration or exclusivity
  • You found an imitation or received a warning letter and need to act quickly

Why LegalAgent

With LegalAgent, you can set IP priorities based on your business plan

We support you in putting IP to use in three ways: fast answers, upfront fee estimates and deliverables you can use as they are in negotiations and internal explanations.

  1. 01Speed

    Typical law firms3–5 business days

    LegalAgent1 business day, as a rule

    Working back from release and signing dates

    For contract reviews and routine legal questions, we respond within one business day as a rule. For warning letters with a response deadline or contracts with a fixed signing date, we propose an order of review worked back from the deadline.

  2. 02Fees

    Hourly billingTotal unknown at the start

    LegalAgentScope and fee set before we start

    Scope set by the type of right and the phase

    We ask about the types and number of rights involved and whether the matter is at the stage of securing rights, contracting or a dispute, and give you an estimate before we start. Matter-based work is generally on a fixed fee.

  3. 03Deliverables

    • Trademark search results memo
    • Draft license agreement
    • Rights ownership table
    • Draft response to a warning letter

    Ownership and scope of use, set out in separate clauses

    For joint development and outsourcing, we sort out ownership of deliverables and improvement inventions, filing procedures, cost sharing and terms of use after termination, and deliver them as draft clauses.

* Response times are for contract reviews and routine legal questions; they vary by matter.

How it works

The AI Agent organizes the contracts; attorneys judge the scope of rights

The AI Agent extracts issues from the contracts, proposed trademarks and logos, and warning letters you provide and prepares drafts; attorneys decide ownership of rights, the scope of licenses and whether there is infringement.

AI Agentdoes the work

  • Organizes ownership, license and consideration terms from contracts
  • Draws on past clause examples and license agreement templates
  • Drafts revisions to IP clauses and response letters

Attorneysmake the judgment

  • Decide ownership of rights and the scope of licenses
  • Decide the response policy from the warning letter's claims and your actual use
  • Take responsibility for the final draft clauses and response letters
ConsultationDraft contracts and response letters
  1. STEP 01Confirming the rights and contracts concerned

    We identify the trademarks, works, inventions, software, data and the like concerned, and review the related contracts and materials on rights

    Summary of points to confirm and a response policy

  2. STEP 02Organizing rights and contract terms

    We review ownership of rights, the scope of licenses, contractual restrictions and the relationship with third-party rights

    Memo organizing rights and issue list

  3. STEP 03Preparing contracts, response letters and other documents

    We prepare the necessary documents, such as license agreements, IP clauses for joint development agreements and responses to warning letters

    Draft or revised contract, or draft response letter

  4. STEP 04Internal explanations and sharing the negotiation strategy

    We explain the rights, contract terms and response policy in a form that business units and management can readily use to decide

    Internal explanatory materials

  • Attorneys make the final callAn attorney checks every deliverable and takes responsibility for it.
  • Your inputs are not used to train AIOn top of attorneys' statutory duty of confidentiality, we work in an environment where your inputs are not used to train AI.
  • An AI Agent built in-houseOur own engineers develop it. Information Security Policy

Use cases

Common requests and what you receive

For each situation in which an IP consultation arises, such as securing a trademark, receiving a warning letter or unresolved IP ownership, we map the consequences of leaving it unaddressed to our support and deliverables for securing rights, contracts and the initial response to disputes.

  1. 01

    Before deciding on the name or logo of a new brand or service, you want to confirm whether you can secure the trademark

    If left aloneStarting use while overlooking prior trademarks or similar classes leads to warnings or injunction claims and forces a name change

    What we doWe review the trademark search and the classes of goods and services in which use is planned, and organize whether to file and the risks in choosing the name

    What you receive
    • Trademark search results memo
    • Assessment of filing classes and need to file
    • Materials explaining name selection risks

  2. 02

    A warning letter alleging trademark or copyright infringement has arrived from another company

    If left aloneThe facts and use situation cannot be organized before the response deadline, and negotiations proceed with an unfavorable response or no response at all

    What we doWe review the allegations in the warning letter, your use situation and the scope of the counterparty's rights, and consider the response and negotiation strategy

    What you receive
    • Draft response letter
    • Memo organizing the facts
    • Negotiation strategy memo

  3. 03

    Development with a joint development partner or outsourcing contractor is proceeding without deciding IP ownership of deliverables and improvements

    If left aloneAfter completion, the parties clash over who owns the rights, causing problems in commercialization, licensing to third parties or due diligence in an M&A

    What we doWe organize whether rights will be solely owned, jointly owned or licensed, the filing procedures, cost sharing and the treatment of improvement inventions

    What you receive
    • Draft IP clauses for the joint development agreement
    • Rights ownership table
    • Internal explanatory materials

  4. 04

    You want to monetize your patents, copyright or know-how by licensing them to others, or to take a license of another company's technology

    If left aloneContracting with vague terms on scope of use, exclusivity, term and consideration leads to unexpected use or lost revenue opportunities

    What we doWe organize the scope of use, exclusive or non-exclusive status, consideration, the response to infringement and handling after termination

    What you receive
    • Draft or revised license agreement
    • Term summary table
    • Negotiation strategy memo

  5. 05

    You want to organize rights in the IP you hold in preparation for due diligence in a fundraising or M&A

    If left aloneDisclosing while ownership and contractual restrictions are unclear leads to a lower valuation or conflicts with representations and warranties

    What we doWe review the registration status of the trademarks, patents, copyright and know-how you hold and the contractual restrictions on them, and organize the matters to be disclosed

    What you receive
    • List of IP rights
    • Table of contractual restrictions
    • Due diligence response policy memo

Scope of our intellectual property support

For each phase, securing rights, contracts and the initial response to disputes, we set out what we review, what judgments we make and what we return as deliverables.

Consultations on securing trademarks, copyright, patents and other rights
For planned names and logos, content, inventions, designs and the like, we review the requirements for rights to arise, ownership and scope of protection.
  • Trademark searches and confirming whether to file
  • Confirming rights in copyright, patents and designs
License agreements and joint development agreements
Whether you are the licensor or the licensee, we organize the scope of use, exclusivity, consideration, ownership of deliverables and handling after termination.
  • Reviewing and drafting license agreements
  • Organizing IP ownership in joint development agreements
  • Confirming IP ownership in service agreements
IP disputes and responding to warnings
We support the initial response when you receive a warning letter or discover imitations, starting from organizing the facts and evidence.
  • Responding to infringement warning letters
  • Initial response upon discovering imitations
Organizing IP for fundraising and M&A
We review the registration status of the IP you hold and the contractual restrictions on it, and organize the matters needed for disclosure.
  • Responding to IP due diligence

Our approach

What we focus on in Intellectual Property

In intellectual property matters, we focus on the following perspectives.

  1. 01

    Considering securing rights and contracts together

    Rather than treating securing a trademark or patent as an end in itself, we set priorities with a view to how those rights will be used under which contracts and how they will lead to license income or business alliances.

  2. 02

    Distinguishing ownership from licensing

    In joint development and outsourcing, we consider separately who owns the rights and how far they can actually be used, and confirm that you have secured the scope of use needed for your business development.

  3. 03

    Settling the evidence and scope of rights first in the initial response to disputes

    In responding to warning letters and investigating imitations, we avoid emotional responses, first organize the scope of both parties' rights and the evidence at hand, and then consider the strategy for responding or enforcing rights.

  4. 04

    Reviewing in connection with your business plan, regardless of industry

    Separately from contract structures specific to the content and entertainment industry, we set IP priorities in connection with your business plan and any planned fundraising or M&A, regardless of industry.

Pricing

Intellectual property fees

For intellectual property consultations, the work differs depending on the type of rights concerned and whether the matter is in the phase of securing rights, contracts or disputes, so we provide an estimate after hearing the details. We mainly confirm the following points.

How fees are set

Scope and fee agreed before we start

Matter-based work is generally on a fixed fee. For complex or urgent matters, we propose a schedule and an estimate that fit the matter.

First consultation

A free 30-minute online meeting.

You can come to us before your documents are in order. Tell us what you know so far.

Free consultation

What we check before quoting

  • The type and number of rights concerned (trademarks, patents, copyright, designs and the like)
  • The contract type (license agreement, joint development agreement, service agreement and the like) and volume
  • Whether an urgent response is needed, such as responding to a warning letter or investigating imitations
  • Whether filing procedures are involved, or the work is limited to contracts and dispute handling
  • Whether IP due diligence for fundraising or M&A is needed

Where filing procedures require official fees or coordination with a patent attorney, we will also advise on whether these are needed. We present the amount after reviewing each matter individually.

Team & Record

Attorneys who know intellectual property and contracts handle your matters

Contract reviews and drafts
2,000+
Startup legal matters
200+
Legal and investment DD
20+
Client companies
150+

* Approximate figures based on matters handled by our firm; actual figures vary by matter.

Engineers

Shinya Makita and Sota Miya build our product on the same team as the attorneys.

Practical guides to intellectual property

IP strategyTrademark and IP Strategy for Startups: Clearance Before Choosing a Name and Choosing the Right Protection

Registering your company name and acquiring a domain does not mean you have secured trademark rights. Starting with clearance before announcing a name, this article considers how to choose between patent filings and confidentiality management, and how to prepare IP documentation for fundraising.

Related practice areas

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can you handle a consultation limited to the stage before filing a trademark application?

Yes. Once your candidate names and logos are settled, you can consult us starting with a search for prior trademarks, confirmation of the classes of goods and services in which use is planned and an assessment of whether to file.

Can we consult you immediately after receiving a warning letter?

Yes. If you send us the warning letter, the use situation as you understand it and the response deadline, we will start by confirming the facts and considering the response strategy.

Can we consult you if all we have is a draft contract?

We can begin the consultation with only a draft contract. However, if you also provide information showing the deliverables concerned, the history of the development or outsourcing and your business plan, a more practical analysis becomes possible.

Are both one-off consultations and ongoing engagements possible?

We handle everything from one-off consultations, such as responding to an individual warning letter or reviewing a license agreement, to engagements providing ongoing support for IP management across multiple brands and technologies.

Do you also handle contracts in the content and entertainment industry?

Contracts specific to the content and entertainment industry, such as production committee agreements, performer agreements and distribution agreements, are handled on the IP and Entertainment page. Securing trademark, patent and copyright protection and license agreements regardless of industry are handled on this page.

Can R&D-driven startups consult you about their overall IP strategy?

Securing individual trademark, patent and copyright protection and license agreements are handled on this page. For ongoing support for the overall IP strategy of R&D-driven startups, please also see the Deep Tech page.

Can we engage you to review contracts relating to intellectual property?

Yes. We review license agreements, joint research and development agreements, IP ownership clauses and other contracts relating to intellectual property, including their relationship with securing rights and business use. You can also contact us directly about contracts not involving intellectual property.

Can you handle urgent IP disputes?

We also handle responses to warning letters with approaching response deadlines and the initial response immediately after discovering imitations. Depending on the state of the facts and evidence, we propose a response policy as early as possible.

Contact

Talk to us about trademarks, patents and copyright

Please share the materials you currently have on hand, such as draft trademarks and logos, contracts and warning letters. You can consult us even at a stage when the rights have not yet been organized.

  • A free 30-minute online first meeting
  • You can consult us once your candidate names or logos are settled
  • You can consult us right after receiving a warning letter