product design protection

Legal rules that protect the appearance of a product—its shape, configuration, patterns, or ornamentation—from being copied. This protection is typically obtained through design patents or registered design rights and targets look-and-feel rather than how the product works.

Who’s Really Liable When a Defective Product Causes Harm?

Insurance and Coverage, Legal Guidance, Product Liability, Product Liability Law / Guest Post

When a product causes injury, illness, or death, the manufacturer may seem like the obvious party to blame. Yet responsibility can extend to importers, distributors, retailers, and, in some cases, employers. Product liability claims depend on the defect, the sale, the warnings, and the harm that followed. Identifying each responsible party early helps preserve evidence […]

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Design patent application sketches and documents

What is a design patent?

Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law, Patents and Trademarks / Jack Gilbert

A U.S. design patent protects a product’s ornamental appearance—not its function—for 15 years from grant. It can cover shape, configuration, surface ornamentation, and overall visual impression if the design is novel and non-obvious. This article explains what design patents cover, key requirements, and how they differ from utility patents. A design patent protects the unique

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