Using a Patent Attorney in Los Angeles California for Help with ADR

A patent attorney in Los Angeles California is a special type of intellectual attorney.  He or she focuses the law practice on the application of patents, acquisition of patents and defense of patents.  Based on this particular focus, having a patent attorney in Los Angeles California can be a tremendous help with all forms of ADR that center around a patent issue.

ADR refers to alternative dispute resolution.  It consists of mediation, arbitration and other alternative methods of resolving legal issues without going to court or pursuing a lawsuit.  ADR usually helps to resolve an intellectual property issue faster than litigation will take in Los Angeles, California.  Additionally, some types of ADR such as arbitration limit the ability for the parties to appeal the decision, which provides greater finality to a case than litigation.

While litigation is highly complicated with rules of evidence and procedure, these formalities are often less common in various forms of ADR.  For example, a person in mediation can base his or her opinion on evidence that would not be admitted in court.  In arbitration, the parties agree upfront about which common rules they will follow and which they will not.

Another way that parties can customize the experience of arbitration is to have an agreement regarding confidentiality before arbitration is held.  The parties can agree to make confidential their own statements, the decision and the experts’ testimony.  In mediation, the mediator is also bound by confidentiality, making the parties more apt to freely and honestly communicate than they would otherwise.

Because a patent attorney has this specialized knowledge, it is often wise to engage his or her services.  He or she can assist with any form of ADR due to this focused and complex knowledge.