Patent Act: Federal law (35 U.S.C.) governing patent rights, protection, and assignment of patent rights in the United States
Copyright Act: Federal law (17 U.S.C.) governing copyright protection and transfer of copyright ownership
Trademark Act: Federal law (Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C.) governing trademark rights and their assignment
Trade Secrets Act: Federal law (18 U.S.C.) protecting trade secrets and governing their transfer
Defend Trade Secrets Act: Federal law providing a uniform federal civil cause of action for trade secret misappropriation
State Trade Secret Laws: State-specific regulations governing trade secret protection and transfer at the state level
State Contract Laws: State-specific regulations governing contract formation, enforcement, and interpretation
State Employment Laws: State-specific regulations governing employment relationships and employee rights
Doctrine of Actual Invention: Legal principle determining rights based on who actually created the invention
Shop Rights Doctrine: Legal principle giving employers non-exclusive rights to use employees' inventions created using employer resources
Hired-to-Invent Doctrine: Legal principle establishing that employees hired specifically to invent must assign their inventions to their employer
National Labor Relations Act: Federal law protecting employees' rights in workplace relationships and collective bargaining
State Employee Invention Assignment Laws: State-specific laws governing the assignment of employee inventions and limitations on such assignments
Contract Law Consideration Requirements: Legal principle requiring exchange of value for contract enforceability
First Amendment: Constitutional protection of free speech rights that may impact intellectual property assignments
Patent and Copyright Clause: Constitutional provision (Article I, Section 8, Clause 8) establishing federal authority over patents and copyrights
