PROTECTING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DURING DIVESTITURES AND ACQUISITIONS

As companies the world over strive to gain product market share throug h acquisitions and mergers, a strong intellectual property base must b ack the technology behind the acquired products. Accordingly, when man agement is considering an acquisition or merger prospect, the intellec tual property assets must be scrutinized more thoroughly than ever In today's litigious environment, this proactive measure is a must. Simil arly, a company divesting of product lines must also review its intell ectual property assets to assure it does not disconnect from its ongoi ng business base. Key intellectual property supporting the remaining p roducts must not be lost through the divestiture process.