Book Opener

Intellectual Property AttorneyNot many corporate lawyers have collections of boardgames in their office, but not many corporate lawyers haveclients like those of Jennifer Jolley. Jolley is an associate atStratton Ballew. She specializes in protecting the creativework, or intellectual property, of writers and other artiststhrough patents, copyrights, and trademarks.“People come to me with sketches for logos or trademarks,” she says, “andI conduct a search to find out whether their work is similar to something alreadyout there. I also try to make sure that the creative work of our clients—includinglogos, trademarks, writing, and new technology—isn’t being copied or misusedaround the world.”One of her clients is Pictionary, Inc., the creator of the popular board game.If, for example, she discovers someone is using the logo or name that most of usassociate with Pictionary, she writes a polite but firm letter to that individual orcompany asking them to stop. If that doesn’t work, the company has the optionof going to court.“The law requires us to protect our intellectual property,” says Jolley. If acompany just lets things go for a few years, the court will eventually say theyhave no reason to complain.”Jolley especially enjoys meeting the actual inventors and creators behindthe work she protects.“Pictionary was invented by a couple of guys in an apartment,” she says.“When they first started, they ran into a manufacturing snag, so they hosted a‘card-sorting party’ and asked their friends to come help get everything sortedand boxed up.” It worked, and Pictionary has sold more than 30 million copies.SkillsPersonalityEducationOrganizational, reasoning, and communication skillsPatient, hardworking, logicalUndergraduate and law degrees. A few upper-leveldegree programs specialize in intellectual property.It helps to have a background in a technical field.For more information about intellectual property lawyers, visitwww.uspto.gov, www.toc.gov/copyright, ubpl.glencoe.com, or yourpublic library.lAlternative B gives sellers’ warranties to any person injured by abreach of warranty. Warranties are not extended to corporations.Sellers cannot exclude this provision.Chapter 14: The Importance of Warranties 307