PAMELA P. SMITH is a Partner in the firm’s Business Section where she leads the Intellectual Property Focus Team. She manages nearly 500 active trademarks for a variety of businesses, including restaurants, software developers, medical researchers, plumbing supply companies, publications, banks and utilities. She assists not only in the application and registration process for trademarks, brand names, and logos, but also in the clearance searches which may assist in determining whether a name is available for use.
Her practice focuses on multiple aspects of protecting intellectual property from the date of conception through commercialization, including trademark and copyright protection in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and United States Copyright Office, preparing copyright, patent and software license agreements, drafting confidentiality agreements, consulting agreements, development agreements, employment agreements and intellectual property transfer agreements for emerging technology companies, web site operators, database innovators, and creators. She assists authors and publishers with freelance contracts and publishing agreements. She has also assisted government contractors with ownership issues and analysis of intellectual property rights in the context of government contracts. She has drafted and reviewed numerous software procurement contracts and licenses.
Moreover, she has assisted clients through providing training seminars on software contract provisions as well as copyright protection for software and other works of authorship. She also regularly counsels clients on fair use analysis. Her corporate practice focuses on counseling and transactional aspects of intellectual property law.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Deputy Assistant Attorney General for State of Alabama on Intellectual Property Matter
- American Bar Association, Intellectual Property and Antitrust Section