What We Do
We use legal, technical and business know-how to provide world-class intellectual property advice at a competitive price.
Legal Know-How
We are a boutique firm with registered patent attorneys rated AV - Martindale Hubbell and "Best of" awards.
Technical Chops
We have hard science or engineering degrees to quickly understand what you are doing.
Business Ownership
We understand where you're coming from: we've owned our own businesses from boot-strapped, angel-funded to the family business. And our firm has been around since 2001.
Fees
We use flat fees for patent and trademark applications so you'll know your legal costs in advance.
Get It Done
We look for ways to get it done right, from the start. We say “Yes, if,” instead of “No, because…”
ETHERTON LAW counsels
emerging and established businesses to secure and commercialize
intellectual property
in U.S. and international markets.
Services
Patents
Etherton Law prepares and prosecutes U.S. patent applications for most technologies. We have extensive experience in medical devices, software and internet technologies, renewable energy processes and equipment, agricultural equipment, consumer products, business methods, and more.
Our Patent Services include
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U.S. patent applications and prosecution for:
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Provisional patent applications
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Utility patents
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Design patents
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Business method and software patents
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Most technologies, including mechanical, electrical, biotechnology and chemical inventions
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Domestic (U.S.) inventors
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Foreign inventors
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Appeals to board of patent appeals and interference
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Post-grant proceedings
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Coordination of foreign patent application filings, including preparation and filing of PCT applications
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Patent searches
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Patentability opinions
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Patent infringement opinions
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Patent licensing
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Licensing your company's patents to others
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Licensing others’ patents for your use
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Corporate invention disclosure programs
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Corporate intellectual property audits
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On-site visit to find valuable intangible assets
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Corporate training programs for patent and trade secret protection
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Patent portfolio planning and management
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Patent maintenance fee reminders
Trademarks
Our Trademark Services include
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U.S. trademark applications for
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Word marks
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Service marks
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Logos
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Packaging and trade dress designs
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Domestic (U.S.) applicants
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Foreign applicants
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Coordination of trademark applications in countries outside the US, directly and via the Madrid System
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Trademark searches
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Domestic (U.S.)
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Worldwide
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Trademark registration opinions
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Trademark licensing
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Licensing your company's patents to others
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Licensing others' patents for your use
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Corporate intellectual property audits
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On-site visit to find valuable intangible assets
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Trademark infringement opinions
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Corporate intellectual property training programs for the marketing and advertising departments
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Trademark portfolio planning and management
Agreements
We handle all contracts relating to intellectual property.
Our Services include
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Intellectual property licenses
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Patent licenses
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Trademark licenses
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Technology licenses
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Trade secret licenses
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Copyright licenses
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Non-compete agreement
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Non-disclosure agreements
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Employee intellectual property agreements
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Intellectual property assignments
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Perfecting security interests in intellectual property assets
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Asset purchase and asset sale agreements
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Software development agreements
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Software licenses
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Supply Chain contracts
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Supplier agreements
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Manufacturer agreements
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Distributor agreements
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Customer contracts
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Preparation of intellectual property risk factors and review of assets for private placement memoranda and other investor agreements
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Due diligence
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Preparation for others to review your intellectual property assets
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Review of others' intellectual property assets
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Intellectual property enforcement and dispute resolution, excluding litigation
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Cease and desist letters to infringers
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Responses to threats of infringement lawsuits
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Trademark oppositions and cancellations
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Domain name infringement and piracy issues
Websites and Apps
We handle patents, trademark and contracts relating to websites and apps.
Our Services include
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Software/mobile app patent applications
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Development agreements
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Mobile apps
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Software
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Website
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Privacy policies - GDRP + CCPA
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Terms of Use
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Hosting agreements
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Domain name issues
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Acquisition
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Dispute resolution
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E-commerce supplier/ reseller partner agreements
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Copyright registration
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Copyright infringement opinions
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Co-branding agreements
Clients
We represent start-up and early-stage privately-held companies, including non-profits, and individuals.
Our clients include companies providing
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medical devices
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agricultural equipment
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unmanned aerial systems
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large-scale printing products
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building products
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pet products
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automotive products
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HR software
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educational podcasts
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medical and dental services
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ecommerce websites
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and many other products
Our clients include well-known individuals
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CPAs
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former NFL players
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television celebrities
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former NBA players
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social media influencers
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fitness coaches
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models
Our clients include non-profit organizations
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food banks
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animal rescues
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global poverty aid
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minority business development
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specialty industry organizations
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and many other charitable organizations
Sandra Etherton
Sandra Etherton is a registered patent attorney and has an AV® Preeminent Rating – the highest rating available from Martindale-Hubbell®, the leading independent attorney rating entity.
Sandra specializes in protecting the intellectual property of start-up and emerging businesses. She has real-world know-how and achieves outstanding results in getting patents and trademarks for her clients.
Named one of Arizona’s finest lawyers by her peers, Sandra has twice been elected Chair of the Intellectual Property Section of the State Bar of Arizona. She was also an appointed trustee of the State Bar's Client Protection Trust Fund.
Sandra interned in Washington, D.C. for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee for Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks. She has taught patent law for entrepreneurs at Thunderbird - now ASU - School of Global Management, as well as to countless business attorneys who sign up for her seminars.
She is a graduate of the Sandra Day O'Connor Arizona State University Law School and the University of Colorado, Boulder. Sandra has a chemistry degree, graduate work in semiconductor device physics, and worked as an engineer in the semiconductor industry before becoming an attorney. She is also certified to teach English as a second language.
Sandra is admitted to practice law in Arizona, Colorado, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.