Lockhart IP

"Obvious” in patent law doesn’t mean “it looks similar.” That’s NOT how patent rejections work. Examiners have to point to specific earlier patents or publications and prove that someone skilled in the field could combine them to create your invention. That’s the real reason patents get rejected for obviousness.

Velcro’s patent expired decades ago… yet the brand still dominates. Why? Because patents don’t last forever—but trademarks can. Once the patent expired, copycats flooded in, but the brand name survived. Smart founders don’t just rely on patents—they build trademarks that outlive them.

Your company might NOT own its own code. If a contractor built it and you don’t have a strong IP assignment clause, they may legally own it—and only license it to you. One missing paragraph can put your entire product at risk. Check your contracts before it’s too late.