About the Firm
Experience Comprehensive Legal Services
AllBelief Law Firm is a fully client-centric legal practice. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality and thoughtful legal services in U.S. immigration law and intellectual property law (U.S. patents, trademarks, copyrights, 337 investigations, and unfair competition consultations). The firm is registered in Washington D.C., the capital of the United States, with our clients' best interests being the primary consideration in our daily work. Schedule a free consultation today, and our lawyers will evaluate your case, address all your concerns, and tailor the best solution for you. Your communications with us (both written and verbal) are strictly protected under "attorney-client" privilege, attorney confidentiality obligations, "patent agent-client" privilege, and patent agent confidentiality obligations.
"Attorney-Client" Privilege and Attorney Confidentiality Obligations:
The attorney-client privilege protects communications between a client and their attorney made for the purpose of seeking legal advice, both written and verbal, from being disclosed for evidentiary purposes under most circumstances. This privilege encourages open and honest communication between clients and their attorneys. Additionally, attorneys are required to keep any information provided by the client confidential according to professional conduct standards.
Under U.S. law, law firm staff and agents also have a duty of confidentiality regarding any information provided by the client. Moreover, communications between the client and law firm staff and agents are protected under the attorney-client privilege.
"Patent Agent-Client" Privilege:
Following the U.S. Federal Court's recent decision in In re Queen’s University at Kingston, communications between patent agents and clients are protected by the patent agent-client privilege, as long as they are related, reasonable, and necessary to the patent application. This means that communications between a patent agent and a client (both written and verbal) remain confidential and won’t be disclosed as evidence in court in the event of future patent legal disputes.
Patent Agent Confidentiality Obligations:
Generally, if an inventor wishes to discuss the details of their invention with others, they should sign a confidentiality agreement to protect their invention. The only exception is when discussing the invention application with a patent agent or patent attorney. According to U.S. Federal Regulation 37 C.F.R. 11.106, patent agents and patent attorneys are required to keep any information provided by the client confidential, with legal requirements and enforcement far exceeding that of confidentiality agreements.