Robert Rehm Participates in Panel Discussion Sponsored by the North Carolina Technology Association

Raleigh, NC (April 15, 2010) – Robert Rehm, a partner in Smith Anderson’s Intellectual Property practice group, participated in a panel discussion among intellectual property law practitioners and technology entrepreneurs sponsored by the North Carolina Technology Association in connection with its "Emerging Technologies and Trends" series. The panel discussion was held on March 24, 2010, in Durham, North Carolina.

Discussion on the panel's topic, "Innovation, Invention and Intellectual Property," focused on factors that a company should consider in determining whether to obtain its intellectual property assets from external sources rather than developing them internally. Other topics explored were how best to employ protection strategies with respect to intellectual property assets in a research and development context, especially for assets developed with the aid of government funding and the most efficient and effective ways to incorporate an intellectual property mindset into a company's business plan.

"An informed decision regarding external, rather than internal, sourcing of additional intellectual property assets can be made only after establishing a baseline for the company's existing intellectual property assets and related protections,” Rehm explained. “Effective education from the top down about how properly-protected intellectual property assets can significantly contribute to a company's success is critical to developing an IP mindset within that company.”