Due diligence, audits

Due diligence, audits

PURPOSE OF THE SERVICE

Audit the IP portfolio and IP policy of a company on a partner’s request (buyer, investor, etc.) to identify strengths and weaknesses, draw up an objective report about the quality of the IP portfolio and the IP policy and recommend improvement actions.

The service follows the rules below:

• Independence from the company audited
• Transparency towards both parties: the aim is to objectively identify strengths and weaknesses and if possible achieve an evaluation shared by both parties.

The service is divided into several stages:

• Knowledge of documents provided by the parties
• Further research (PatBases, Questel, Epoline, USPTO-PAIR, Patentscope, etc.) and identification of possible discrepancies
• Identification of intellectual property rights and main known competitors
• Preparation of a memo using all the elements (validity and scope of the IP rights, freedom to operate, etc.).
• Meeting with a representative of the audited company to gather further information and its feedback on any discrepancies
• Preparation of a pre-project, submitted to both parties, feedback from the company and, where necessary, from its counsel.
• Presentation of the final report with analysis, recommendations for improvements or procedures for identified weaknesses Writing of discrepancy notes if certain points are contested by the audited company and debriefing with the people involved.

Generally, the audit can be carried out with law firms (labour, contractual, tax, legal audit).

We have developed a methodology which reconciles responsiveness and efficiency, based on an interview guide and a list of due diligence validated by fifteen years of experience. The budget is a set price fixed before the mission begins, using a scale that takes into account the size of the patent portfolio and two levels of detail.