How do intellectual property lawsuits affect public perception of companies?

Intellectual property lawsuits arise on a regular basis in the legal industry. Today, there are many businesses that have patents on their products and services, and other companies find themselves violating these patents. It is a good idea for businesses to make sure that they are not imitating any similar products being sold in their industry. Arizona companies that have had patents infringed upon or have been accused of this should speak with Phoenix business law attorneys.

Patent infringement lawsuits have increased in recent years and the statistics show that the number of these type of cases have grown by 4.9 percent on average every year since 1991, according to a Bloomberg Businessweek piece on the topic. There have been suits filed over various products, including clothes, shoes, smartphone technology, oil drilling equipment, medical equipment, air fresheners and even diapers. Even the Wright Brothers filed lawsuits against companies that allegedly infringed upon their patents, which may have held back the development of aviation.

Given the number of these lawsuits, how have the reputations of these companies been impacted over the years? The answer may be found in part by analyzing the ongoing patent disputes between Apple and Samsung, which this blog detailed yesterday.

A new survey of U.S. consumers, conducted by market research organization Morpace, determined that the $1 billion patent verdict awarded to Apple last August has shifted public perception of both businesses. The number of consumers who said they would "likely" buy a Samsung smartphone or tablet declined by 12 percent following the ruling, while Apple's reputation as an industry leading seems to have been solidified – the number of consumers who were "likely" to buy an Apple product increased by 9 percent.

In this case, at least, a court victory also meant a win in the court of public opinion.

With patent infringement lawsuits on the rise, Arizona companies that have been implicated in such lawsuits should consult a business lawyer in Phoenix, in order to maintain their reputations and ensure that the public does not view them negatively.

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