An important consideration in the development of an intellectual property portfolio is the need for worldwide protection. The firm assists clients to obtain worldwide patent protection by filing directly in foreign countries and by filing a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application, which reserves the right to seek protection in designated member countries at a later date. The firm assists clients to obtain worldwide trademark protection by filing directly in foreign countries. The firm maintains working relationships with firms throughout the world to ensure that direct patent and trademark filings are handled in a timely and cost effective manner.