Background
This case study looks at two organizations that were using multiple IP law firms to manage their patent annuities.
01 - A leading US Healthcare Institution known for pioneering medical research and innovation and managing a substantial portfolio of patents.
02 - A growing US Public Research University that is dedicated to research and technology transfer and holds a diverse and expanding patent portfolio.
Opportunity
Both organizations utilized multiple IP law firms to manage their patent annuities. This approach stemmed from the need to engage the most experienced IP attorneys to file strong patent families. However, it led to significant inefficiencies:
The Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) faced a deluge of emails regarding payment renewal deadlines, reminders, instructions, and invoicing from each IP law firm.
Without a centralized system, tracking and instructing patent annuities became cumbersome and time-consuming
Decision-making was hampered by scattered information across multiple email threads and systems, leading to potential oversights and delayed actions.
Approach
Both organizations collaborated with the Wellspring IP renewals team to transition to a centralized IP renewals solution using Astria. The Wellspring team completed a four-step process:
The Wellspring team worked closely with
key contacts at each organization to gather
full IP renewals schedules from their respective IP law firms.
Clients were advised on how to docket their patent annuities into the Sophia system, ensuring all global patent annuities were accurately recorded and managed.
The transition involved careful checking and verification of all shared patent annuities. The Wellspring team facilitated a smooth and efficient onboarding process.
A clear start date was set for the transition to ensure minimal disruption. The entire process, from contract signing to go- live, was completed within two months.
Results
By consolidating the management of patent annuities into a single platform, the TTOs significantly reduced the volume of email communication with multiple IP law firms
With the ability to instruct patent annuities online in one secure system, the TTOs experienced greater operational efficiency and reduced risk of missed deadlines.
The Sophia system offered a comprehensive view of all annuities, allowing the TTOs to track, budget, and make informed decisions in a timely manner.
The streamlined process enabled the TTO teams to save time previously spent on manual tracking and correspondence. This freed up resources to focus on other critical technology transfer operations.
Tech Transfer and Innovation
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