A Founder’s Guide to IP Protection: How to Use Patents, Trademarks, Copyright and More w/ Raymond DiPerna

Seed Money

Patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and copyrights: if you’re building a startup, these aren’t “nice to haves,” they’re mission-critical.

Locking down your intellectual property protects your ideas, your company, your product. And it makes your startup more attractive to investors.

Whether it’s your brand name, your technology, or your trade secrets, different types of IP protection help you avoid costly legal pitfalls, prevent copycats, and preserve your company’s value as you scale.

Too many founders wait until they’ve gained traction to think about IP. But that can be a costly mistake.

Without the right protection in place early, you could lose rights, get hit with a cease and desist, or scare off potential investors during due diligence.

In this episode, we break down the essential types of IP, what they are, why they matter, and how to make smart, early decisions to protect what you're building.

I'm joined by Ray DiPerna, a veteran IP attorney with over 25 years of experience helping startups and high-growth companies protect and monetize their intellectual property. Ray shares why founders should think about their IP as early in the process as possible, and how to avoid costly mistakes.

Topics Covered:

• What counts as IP and what investors expect to see protected

• The real cost (and strategy) behind patents and “patent pending”

• Trademark pitfalls that can derail your startup’s brand

• How to handle IP created by employees and contractors

• How to monetize your IP through licensing or enforcement

• How to protect trade secrets, source code, branding, and more

• What to know about copyright for websites, images, and creative assets

• How to prioritize legal spend when funds are limited

Today my guest is Ray DiPerna, who is an IP attorney admitted in California and New York. The views expressed in this podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you need legal advice regarding a specific situation, it’s always best to consult with a qualified attorney who can evaluate your specific facts and circumstances as each case is different. Ray works with clients in a variety of industries. If you’re interested in learning more about IP law or his work, you can find more information at the below contact information. This communication may be considered attorney advertising under the rules of certain jurisdictions.

Guest Bio

Raymond DiPerna is the founder of DiPerna Law. After over two decades of representing high profile clients in their intellectual property matters at prestigious law firms, including his role as a long-time partner at a prominent IP boutique, Ray founded and transitioned his practice to the DiPerna Law Firm, P.C. This enables Ray to take on a wider variety of projects and advise his clients more cost effectively. Coming from Biglaw at Sheppard Mullin, Ray works closely with specialized counsel in other law firms to provide his clients with high quality legal services in the areas of IP, data privacy, and corporate law. More specifically, Ray advises corporate clients, startups, and individuals with regard to product development, protection, and enforcement in the software, computer, mechanical, and electrical technologies. These technologies include the fast-growing and increasingly prominent areas of AI and machine learning. Ray’s practice includes advising clients with respect to all areas of IP, including patent, trademark, trade secret, and copyright, as well as data privacy. Ray’s practice also includes drafting and negotiating license, ownership, and technology transfer agreements, as well as collaboration agreements and NDAs. ​Ray has 25 years of experience in preparing and prosecuting patent applications, including utility and design patents, both domestically and internationally. Visit https://www.dipernalaw.com/ for more information, and connect with Raymond on LinkedIn.

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: [phone]

About Your Host

Jayla Siciliano, Shark Tank entrepreneur turned real estate investor, excels in building brands, teams, and products. CEO of a bi-coastal luxury short-term rental company, she also hosts the Seed Money Podcast where she’s on a mission to help early-stage entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality!

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The information in this podcast is educational and general in nature and does not take into consideration the listener's personal circumstances. Therefore, it is not intended to be a substitute for specific, individualized financial, legal, or tax advice.