Chris Woodward, The Center Square ; Inventors back effort to tackle intellectual property thefts
"Today, Metz, who describes herself as a victim of intellectual property theft, supports new federal legislation that would protect inventors like her.
“It’s very overwhelming when you’re the inventor, the creator, and you’re trying to build a business, and then you find out all these people are stealing your property,” Metz said.
The patenting process took about four years and $40,000. Metz also poured $350,000 into molds, employees and a facility to make her product.
Metz said that from 2015 to 2018, when she saw over 150 companies stealing her invention, she got an attorney and began to fight. It was a success. Metz was able to stop every one of those infringers through licensing deals. However, Metz later found herself in an administrative court that was set up by Congress in 2012 through an intellectual property law, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act. The administrative court or Patent Trial and Appeal Board invalidated both her patents.
“I lost everything,” said Metz. “I lost all my licensing deals. I had about 40 employees at the time. I lost them. All because of a bad law.”"
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