Every patent has a family, and sometimes the most important rights aren't in the patent you're looking at, but in its siblings, parents, or long-lost cousins. In this episode, we talk about how to trace a patent's relatives through continuation, divisional, and priority filings, and why that family tree can reveal hidden risks, future enforcement threats, or strategic opportunities. If you've ever wondered how one invention turns into an entire web of patents, this episode shows you where to look and why it matters.

Connect with Adam Diament

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

https://www.nolanheimann.com/legal-team/adam-diament

Phone/Text:

(424)281-0162

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5cTADZzJfPoyQMjnW-rtRw

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/trademarkpatentlaw/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-diament-j-d-ph-d-180a005/

Amazon Book Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B005SV2RZC/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=831aff71-513b-4158-ad73-386ede491e93

Bankruptcy feels like the end of the road, but what happens to your patents when the money runs out is anything but simple. In this episode, we dig into whether patent rights survive bankruptcy, when they can be sold off to pay creditors, and why inventors are often shocked to learn they no longer control the IP they created. If you own patents, license them, or build a business around them, this is a conversation you really don't want to miss.

Connect with Adam Diament

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

https://www.nolanheimann.com/legal-team/adam-diament

Phone/Text:

(424)281-0162

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5cTADZzJfPoyQMjnW-rtRw

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/trademarkpatentlaw/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-diament-j-d-ph-d-180a005/

Amazon Book Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B005SV2RZC/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=831aff71-513b-4158-ad73-386ede491e93

Before your patent ever faces a court, a jury, or a competitor, it meets its very first judge: the patent examiner. And you don't get to pick them. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on how the Patent Office assigns examiners, why that assignment can shape the entire life of your patent, and what savvy inventors and startups should understand about this hidden but hugely influential part of the process.

Connect with Adam Diament

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

https://www.nolanheimann.com/legal-team/adam-diament

Phone/Text:

(424)281-0162

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5cTADZzJfPoyQMjnW-rtRw

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/trademarkpatentlaw/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-diament-j-d-ph-d-180a005/

Amazon Book Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B005SV2RZC/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=831aff71-513b-4158-ad73-386ede491e93

What if you don't actually want a patent, but you also don't want a competitor locking up your idea and using it against you later? In this episode, we dive into defensive publications, a powerful but often overlooked strategy for putting your idea into the public domain on your terms. We talk about how defensive publications work, when they make sense, and how they can quietly block competitors from getting patents without the time, cost, and commitment of filing one yourself.

Connect with Adam Diament

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

https://www.nolanheimann.com/legal-team/adam-diament

Phone/Text:

(424)281-0162

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5cTADZzJfPoyQMjnW-rtRw

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/trademarkpatentlaw/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-diament-j-d-ph-d-180a005/

Amazon Book Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B005SV2RZC/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=831aff71-513b-4158-ad73-386ede491e93

If you're a student with a big idea, here's a question that can catch you completely off guard: do you actually own your invention, or does your university? In this episode, we unpack how universities handle inventorship and IP rights for student inventions, why the answer depends heavily on where you go to school, and how a class project or lab access can quietly change ownership. Whether you're building a startup in your dorm room or collaborating with professors, this is a must-listen before you assume your invention is really yours.

Connect with Adam Diament

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

https://www.nolanheimann.com/legal-team/adam-diament

Phone/Text:

(424)281-0162

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5cTADZzJfPoyQMjnW-rtRw

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/trademarkpatentlaw/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-diament-j-d-ph-d-180a005/

Amazon Book Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B005SV2RZC/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=831aff71-513b-4158-ad73-386ede491e93

Ever wonder who really owns a patent, or how to tell if a company quietly sold off its core technology? In this episode, we dive into the USPTO's patent assignment database, one of the most overlooked but powerful tools inventors can use. You'll learn how to track ownership changes, spot acquisitions before they hit the headlines, and uncover licensing and investment clues hiding in plain sight. If you've ever wanted to do real IP due diligence without a law firm budget, this is the episode that shows you how to think like a pro.

Connect with Adam Diament

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

https://www.nolanheimann.com/legal-team/adam-diament

Phone/Text:

(424)281-0162

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5cTADZzJfPoyQMjnW-rtRw

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/trademarkpatentlaw/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-diament-j-d-ph-d-180a005/

Amazon Book Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B005SV2RZC/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=831aff71-513b-4158-ad73-386ede491e93

What if the goal isn't just to have a patent, but to surround an entire technology with so many patents that no one else can move without bumping into one? That's the idea behind patent thickets. In this episode, we unpack how large companies deliberately build dense webs of overlapping patents, why this strategy can be incredibly powerful, and how it affects startups, competitors, and innovation itself. If you've ever wondered why some technologies feel impossible to break into, this episode explains the quiet patent strategy that's often doing the blocking.

Connect with Adam Diament

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

https://www.nolanheimann.com/legal-team/adam-diament

Phone/Text:

(424)281-0162

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5cTADZzJfPoyQMjnW-rtRw

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/trademarkpatentlaw/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-diament-j-d-ph-d-180a005/

Amazon Book Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B005SV2RZC/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=831aff71-513b-4158-ad73-386ede491e93

You built something together, the invention is real, the patent application is ready… and then everything grinds to a halt because your co-inventor suddenly won't sign. What happens now? Is the patent dead? Can they hold the invention hostage? In this episode, we talk through what the law actually requires when an inventor refuses to cooperate, what options still exist, and why this situation is far more common than most inventors realize. If you've ever worried that a falling-out could derail your patent, this episode might save you a lot of panic—and a lot of time.

Connect with Adam Diament

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

https://www.nolanheimann.com/legal-team/adam-diament

Phone/Text:

(424)281-0162

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5cTADZzJfPoyQMjnW-rtRw

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/trademarkpatentlaw/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-diament-j-d-ph-d-180a005/

Amazon Book Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B005SV2RZC/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=831aff71-513b-4158-ad73-386ede491e93

Ever wonder how companies that compete fiercely in the marketplace somehow manage to share patents without constantly suing each other? That's where patent pools come in. They're one of the most misunderstood, quietly powerful tools in tech, standards, and licensing, and they shape everything from streaming video to smartphones to Wi-Fi without most people ever noticing. Patent pools can lower litigation risk, speed up adoption of new technologies, and at the same time create serious leverage for the companies that control them. If you're an inventor or startup operating anywhere near a technical standard, understanding how patent pools work can mean the difference between smooth market entry and an unexpected licensing nightmare.

Connect with Adam Diament

E-mail:

[email protected]

Website:

https://www.nolanheimann.com/legal-team/adam-diament

Phone/Text:

(424)281-0162

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5cTADZzJfPoyQMjnW-rtRw

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/trademarkpatentlaw/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-diament-j-d-ph-d-180a005/

Amazon Book Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B005SV2RZC/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=831aff71-513b-4158-ad73-386ede491e93