Cooperating with uncle Sam

considerations on the joint ownership of patents in brazil-usa cooperation

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23925/2596-3333.v1n1.76166

Keywords:

patents, technology, international technical cooperation., joint, ownership

Abstract

Patents are valuable economic assets resulting from the creation of a novel technical solution. Such assets are important to recoup resources invested in the development of the patented product and to ensure that the technology is not appropriated by other market agents. In this context, international technical cooperation (ITC) activities are becoming more common and, thus, an increasing number of patents are being managed jointly between international cooperative entities. The present study seeks to delineate some factors important to promote international protection of patents developed within the ITC regime taking as a focus the relationship Brazil-USA and using bibliographic review and the logic-deductive method to gather and interpret data. To respond the motivating question, the following objectives are put forth: (i) study the main differences between the Brazilian and American rules for joint ownership of patents, (ii) explore the specificities of the ITC regime and how joint exploitation of a patent may affect its economic value, (iii) determine applicable connecting factors and relevant aspects of litigation between co-owners. At the end of the research, it is concluded that some precautionary clauses must be included in a cooperation agreement before the start of ITC activities. Some of these clauses pertain to the form and rules for distributing royalties from the patented technology, the division of expenses related to maintenance fees and rules for licensing the common asset.

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Author Biographies

Marco Bruno Miranda Clementino, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

 Professor Associado da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) e Titular da Faculdade Autônoma de Direito (FADISP), São Paulo, onde exerce a função de Coordenador de Relações Internacionais. Juiz Federal. Mestre (UFRN) e Doutor (UFPE) em Direito, com formação em inovação pública e liderança pela Harvard Kennedy School. Pós-doutorando pela Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Visiting Scholar na University of California, Berkeley. Coordena na UFRN o Grupo de Pesquisa Observatório de Direito Internacional no Rio Grande do Norte.

Beatriz Costa da Silveira Barros, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo

Advogada associada no escritório Barroso Fontelles, Barcellos, Mendonça Advogados. Mestranda na Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP). Bacharela em Direito pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) com mobilidade acadêmica na Universidade de Coimbra (UC).

Jorge Enrique de Azevedo Tinoco, Universidade de São Paulo

Advogado associado no escritório Licks Advogados. Mestrando na Universidade de São Paulo (USP) com foco em Direito do Comércio Internacional. Especialista em Direito Internacional pela Universidade de Fortaleza (UNIFOR). Bacharel em Direito pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). Pesquisador do Observatório de Direito Internacional do Rio Grande do Norte (OBDI/UFRN).

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Published

2026-08-11

How to Cite

Clementino, M. B. M., Barros, B. C. da S., & Tinoco, J. E. de A. (2026). Cooperating with uncle Sam: considerations on the joint ownership of patents in brazil-usa cooperation. Revista Fronteiras Interdisciplinares Do Direito, 1(1), 247–268. https://doi.org/10.23925/2596-3333.v1n1.76166

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026): Fronteiras Interdisciplinares do Direito

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Artigos

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Copyright (c) 2026 Beatriz Costa da Silveira Barros, Marco Bruno Miranda Clementino, Jorge Enrique de Azevedo Tinoco

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.