Fukami Patent Office, P.C. has been preparing and prosecuting patent applications for our clients since 1969, and it is still the fundamentally important core of our daily work. More than 75 patent attorneys across all major technical areas have extensive experience in preparing and prosecuting patent applications, in addition to their expertise in the provision of infringement opinions and assessments of patent validity. Major companies and organizations, both in Japan and from countries around the world, select us as their representative due to our long-term collective expertise and focus on first class service. They know the value of their IP assets and that Fukami Patent Office, P.C. can support their strategic goals with the highest technical and legal expertise, global network, and strong Japan Patent Office (JPO) relationships.

Fukami Patent Office, P.C. has represented clients in numerous post-grant proceedings such as oppositions, trials for patent invalidation, and trials for patent correction. Our experience in these proceedings allows us to counsel our clients on the entire range of potential alternatives when considering whether or not to proceed to litigation. Post-grant proceedings require highly experienced counsel, skilled in representing clients before the JPO and the Intellectual Property High Court. Our post-grant practice for patent covers all areas of technology. Each technical division in our office includes skilled IP attorneys and other experts who have the background required for understanding complex technologies and arguing before Administrative Patent Judges at the JPO and the Judges of the IP High Court. Our post grant practice leads our clients to obtaining reliable patent rights and successful licensing opportunities by providing our insight on the latest trends, a comprehensive understanding of technical issues and in-depth knowledge of JPO proceedings.

Our expertise is not limited to just ‎prosecution matters. We regularly provide counseling in patent portfolio management, and legal opinions on the complex technologies of new products concerning issues such as the validity of competitor’s patents, freedom to operate, non-infringement, patentability and right-to-practice.

Design rights can be extremely valuable, despite lower acquisition and maintenance costs. We view design registration as a cost-effective strategy to protect the distinctive ornamental features of a product against imitation by competitors. Our Design team drafts design applications for a wide range of cutting-edge products and technologies in order to create design portfolios for our clients that support their commercial goals. We manage global design portfolios for some of the world’s most famous brands, filing designs with the JPO, and coordinating international strategies and filings with foreign associates.

With 10 attorneys and over 20 paralegals dedicated to trademark matters, our Trademark and Law Division is one of the largest and most experienced professional trademark teams in Japan. We focus primarily on trademark prosecution, including oppositions and invalidation actions, as well as copyright, customs clearance and unfair competition issues. Since inviting a general attorney-at-law as an advisor a few years ago, our trademark professionals have also strengthened their skills in assisting our clients in other general legal services, such as licensing and contractual matters.
Our team has significant experience in assisting both national and overseas clients in building globally famous brands. In addition to major product manufacturers we represent clients in a wide range of businesses in cutting-edge markets such as SNS, media and fashion, who are successful in Japan and around the world. Our clients choose us for our quick response, thorough analysis and timely advice for actions throughout the prosecution and dispute resolution lifecycle – offering errorless management of their trademark portfolios.

Fukami Patent Office, P.C. has 48 IP infringement litigators and the legal advisor, enabling our experienced attorneys to handle litigation matters as well as prosecution and post-grant proceedings. Our attorneys are highly knowledgeable and committed to counseling clients on the most practical and effective means to achieving the best result in the event of an IP dispute.

Our broad experience in prosecution and litigation has a powerful influence on our licensing practice, enhancing our ability to the maximize our clients’ valuable IP assets. To be successful, companies must accurately evaluate the quality of protection of the technologies they are considering for license or purchase. We provide this crucial information, through carefully researched opinions that give our clients the necessary knowledge to make key business decisions on their licensing and acquisition plans. Our support enables our clients to leverage their IP assets, to generate revenue and enhance value through carefully planned licensing strategies, to maximize the value of their intellectual properties in Japan and abroad with customized, sophisticated licensing arrangements.