What if one casual conversation cost you your patent? We sit down with Attorney Daniel Scola, managing partner at Hoffmann and Barron LLP, to unpack how innovators can protect ideas, avoid irreversible mistakes, and build an IP strategy that actually supports growth. From patents and trademarks to copyrights and trade secrets, Daniel breaks down the plain-English basics while sharing hard-won lessons from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, industrial tech, and software.

You’ll hear the eye-opening story of a stolen polymer formulation that sparked his career, and why public disclosure without an NDA can shut the door on protection in most countries and start the clock in the United States. Daniel explains when to use a provisional patent, how to align claims with what customers value, and why investors care about IP only when paired with a credible business plan, target market, and go-to-market motion. We also dig into the subtle art of client trust: giving useful advice before the pitch, leveraging referrals over ads, and focusing on senior-level attention that saves time and money.

If you’re a founder, product leader, or creator weighing whether to file, you’ll come away with clear next steps: document your invention, secure confidentiality, map markets before claims, and choose between patents and trade secrets based on how your advantage is built and protected. Along the way, Daniel’s love of music and mentoring adds warmth to a topic that too often feels opaque or intimidating. Protect smart, file at the right time, and turn your intellectual property into a real competitive edge.

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For more information visit HBIPLaw.com.