My internship with an IP law firm, by Alyssa Helfer

My time interning at Kloss, Stenger & LoTempio this summer has been filled with new experiences. From filing trademark applications to familiarizing myself with google adwords, performing a patent search to writing blog posts, I have learned so much.

I realized how valuable intellectual property can be, and how important it is to properly protect it. I was able to try my hand at filing a trademark application, as well as working my way through a copyright application. It was a little overwhelming at first, and I quickly realized that both require more than just filling out a form and submitting it;

“it takes legal knowledge and experience to make sure it gets done correctly the first time.”

One thing that surprised me is just how applicable patent, trademark, and copyright law is to so many different fields. It was interesting to me to see how many different types of inventions hold patents, from the very simple to the incredibly complex.

I was also fortunate to have been able to help with the foundation of PatentHome, a website where inventors can file patent, trademark, and copyright applications online while still receiving expert attorney advice and opinions.

For me, this was an interesting, and very 21st century, application of the law in the form of an alternative to the traditional approach of meeting with a lawyer face-to-face and filing paper forms.

Before working in a patent attorney’s office, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you the first thing about a utility patent or a design patent, or the difference between ©, ®, and TM. This internship involved a lot of learning as I went, and I think that’s why I’m able to take so much away from it.

Many thanks to Alyssa for working with us this summer and we look forward to  seeing what great successes she will have throughout her career as an attorney.

Good luck and Godspeed!