Practices | Design Patents & Industrial Design
Designs protect the visual appearance of products: the look, feel, and overall impression that set them apart in the market. In the United States, that protection comes through design patents. In many other jurisdictions, it comes through registered or industrial design rights. At Young Basile, we combine design insight with deep patent experience to secure, manage, and enforce design rights across industries and around the world.
Design protection is a distinct discipline within intellectual property law. Our Design Practice Group, led by Stacie Farina, brings together attorneys who focus on protecting product appearance and who work alongside our utility patent, trademark, and litigation teams to deliver complete protection.
Why Designs Matter
Protection that lasts: a U.S. design patent runs for 15 years from the date it
is granted.
Meaningful remedies: U.S. law allows the owner of a U.S. design patent to
recover an infringer’s total profit on the infringing article of manufacture.
A strong deterrent: designs cover the overall look of a product, which makes
them an effective tool against lookalikes and dupes.
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Our Capabilities
We advise clients ranging from start-ups making their first filings to
institutions managing large, ongoing design portfolios. We adapt to each
client’s business needs and the nuances of new products so that innovations
are properly protected.
Design Prosecution
We draft and prosecute designs that clearly define the visual boundaries of
your products. Our approach balances breadth of protection with portfolio
efficiency, protecting families of designs without unnecessary overlap, and we
build portfolios from a business-focused, growth-oriented perspective.
International Design Protection
We coordinate design protection outside the United States, including filings
under the Hague Agreement and through our network of foreign associates, so
that protection keeps pace with your markets.
Digital and Interface Designs
We protect graphical user interfaces, icons, and screen designs for software
and connected products, an area of growing importance as more products are
defined by what appears on a screen.
Early-Stage Design Capture
We work directly with design, engineering, and legal teams to identify
protectable features early in development. This proactive approach strengthens
coverage and aligns protection with business goals.
Portfolio Strategy
We integrate designs with utility patents, trademarks, trade dress, and
copyright to build cohesive, value-driven portfolios. Our counsel helps
clients prioritize protection where it matters most, supporting product
launches and long-term IP strategy.
Enforcement and Clearance
We help clients act against knockoffs, dupes, and infringers, including
takedown requests for infringing online marketplace listings such as Amazon
and enforcement actions in the United States and foreign jurisdictions. We
also evaluate new designs against existing designs before launch.
Our Experience
Our attorneys draw on long experience building design portfolios across a wide
range of fields. Our design work includes the following industries and
technologies:
- Consumer Electronics
- Furniture and Office Products
- Packaging and Display Systems
- Fitness and Apparel
- Automotive and Energy
- Medical Devices
- Software and User Interfaces
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Let’s Get Started
To discuss how designs can strengthen your IP strategy, contact our team
today.
