INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AUDIT CHECKLIST AND REPORT
Prepared for: [[Client / Business Full Legal Name]]
Prepared by: [[Auditor / Law Firm Name]]
Audit Date: [[Audit Date]]
Review Period: [[Start Date]] through [[End Date]]
Business / Products / Services Covered: [[Description of core products, services, brands, and technologies]]
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Intellectual Property Audit provides a comprehensive inventory and risk assessment of the intellectual property assets owned, used, or licensed by [[Client / Business Full Legal Name]] (the "Company"). The audit identifies:
- All material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, copyrights, trade secrets, domain names, social media handles, trade dress, and other IP.
- Current registration status, maintenance/renewal deadlines, and chain-of-title issues.
- License agreements (in-bound and out-bound), assignments, security interests, and encumbrances.
- Freedom-to-operate (FTO) flags, potential infringement risks, and enforcement history.
- Trade secret protection measures, confidentiality practices, and employee/contractor agreements.
- Gaps in protection, ownership risks, and recommended remediation actions with priority and estimated timelines.
Overall Risk Rating: [[Low / Moderate / High - with brief rationale]]
Key Findings Summary (Top 5):
1. [[Finding 1, e.g., "Core trademark '[[Brand]]' registered in 12 classes; 3 pending renewals due Q4 [[Year]]"]]
2. [[Finding 2]]
3. [[Finding 3]]
4. [[Finding 4]]
5. [[Finding 5]]
Immediate Action Items (within 30 days):
[[List 1-5 high-priority items with responsible party and deadline]]
1. PATENTS AND PATENT APPLICATIONS
1.1 Issued Patents
| Patent Number / Jurisdiction | Title / Subject Matter | Filing Date | Issue Date | Status / Maintenance | Owner of Record | Chain-of-Title Notes |
|------------------------------|------------------------|-------------|------------|----------------------|-----------------|----------------------|
| [[Patent No.]] | [[Title]] | [[Date]] | [[Date]] | [[Active / Maintenance due [[date]]]] | [[Entity]] | [[Assignment recorded / gaps]] |
| [[Additional]] | | | | | | |
1.2 Pending Patent Applications
| Application Number | Jurisdiction | Title | Filing Date | Status | Expected Grant | Owner |
|--------------------|--------------|-------|-------------|--------|----------------|-------|
| [[App No.]] | [[US / PCT / EP etc.]] | [[Title]] | [[Date]] | [[Published / Office action response due]] | [[Est. Date]] | [[Entity]] |
1.3 Patent-Related Agreements and Encumbrances
- License grants (out): [[List key terms, fields of use, royalties, termination rights]]
- License grants (in): [[Cross-licenses, inbound royalty obligations]]
- Security interests, liens, or pledges: [[Details or "None"]]
- Joint development or collaboration agreements affecting ownership: [[Summary]]
1.4 Patent Risk Flags and Recommendations
- [[FTO issues identified in [[field]]; clearance opinion dated [[date]] recommended/attached]]
- [[Upcoming maintenance fees: list deadlines and amounts]]
- Remediation Priority: [[High/Med/Low]] - [[Specific recommended steps]]
2. TRADEMARKS AND SERVICE MARKS
2.1 Registered Trademarks
| Mark / Logo | Goods/Services (Classes) | Registration No. / Jurisdiction | Reg. Date | Renewal / Maintenance Due | Owner | Status / Use Evidence |
|-------------|--------------------------|---------------------------------|-----------|---------------------------|-------|-----------------------|
| [[[[Brand Name]]]] | [[Classes]] | [[Reg No.]] | [[Date]] | [[Next due date]] | [[Entity]] | [[In use / specimen on file]] |
2.2 Pending Trademark Applications
| Mark | Serial No. | Classes | Filing Date | Status | Owner | Notes |
|------|------------|---------|-------------|--------|-------|-------|
| [[Mark]] | [[Serial]] | [[Classes]] | [[Date]] | [[Office action / published for opposition]] | [[Entity]] | [[Response deadline]] |
2.3 Unregistered / Common-Law Marks in Use
List significant unregistered marks, trade names, logos, taglines, and product names currently used:
[[List with first-use dates, geographic scope, and evidence of use]]
2.4 Domain Names, Social Handles, and Brand Protection
| Domain / Handle | Registrar / Platform | Expiration | Owner / Privacy | Redirect or Use | Renewal Auto? |
|-----------------|----------------------|------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------|
| [[domain.com]] | [[GoDaddy etc.]] | [[Date]] | [[Entity]] | [[Primary site / parked]] | [[Yes/No]] |
Recommendations: Monitor for cybersquatting; consider defensive registrations in key classes and countries; implement watch services for [[Brand]].
3. COPYRIGHTS
3.1 Registered Copyrights
| Title / Work | Reg. No. | Date of Registration | Author(s) / Work Made For Hire? | Owner | Deposit on File |
|--------------|----------|----------------------|---------------------------------|-------|-----------------|
| [[Software v1.0 / Marketing Materials / Website]] | [[Reg No.]] | [[Date]] | [[Entity / Individual]] | [[Company]] | [[Yes]] |
3.2 Unregistered Copyrights (Automatic Protection)
Significant works created by or for the Company that are not registered:
- Software source code and object code (version control: [[Git repo / dates]])
- Website content, copy, graphics, photographs
- Marketing collateral, videos, white papers
- Internal training materials and documentation
- [[Other]]
Recommendation: Register key works (especially software and marketing assets) with the U.S. Copyright Office for statutory damages and attorney fees eligibility in infringement actions.
3.3 Copyright Licenses and Assignments
- Inbound licenses: [[Open source components used - list licenses, obligations, attribution requirements]]
- Outbound licenses: [[Customer EULAs, SaaS terms, content licenses]]
- Work-made-for-hire or assignment agreements with contractors/employees: [[Status - all signed? Gaps?]]
4. TRADE SECRETS AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
4.1 Trade Secret Inventory
| Asset / Category | Description | Protection Measures in Place | Access Controls | Risk Level |
|------------------|-------------|------------------------------|-----------------|------------|
| [[Source code / customer list / formulas / processes / pricing]] | [[Brief]] | [[NDAs, access logs, encryption, need-to-know]] | [[Role-based / MFA]] | [[High/Med]] |
4.2 Protection Practices
- Employee / Contractor Confidentiality and IP Assignment Agreements: [[All current signed? Date of last update?]]
- Visitor / Vendor NDAs: [[Process in place?]]
- Physical and digital security: [[Describe - locked server rooms, encryption at rest/transit, DLP tools]]
- Exit procedures: [[Return of property, access revocation checklist]]
4.3 Known or Suspected Misappropriation / Risks
[[Describe any incidents, investigations, or competitive intelligence concerns]]
Remediation: [[Update agreements, implement new controls, consider registration of certain copyrights as backup]]
5. DOMAIN NAMES, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND DIGITAL ASSETS
See Section 2.4 for domains. Additional:
- Social media accounts (Instagram, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, etc.): [[List handles, owners, backup admins]]
- Mobile apps / app store accounts: [[Apple / Google developer accounts, ownership]]
- SaaS / cloud service accounts with custom branding or data: [[Ownership verification]]
Recommendation: Central inventory with recovery emails and 2FA backup codes stored securely. Ensure all accounts are registered to Company email/domain.
6. LICENSES, ASSIGNMENTS, AND ENCUMBRANCES
6.1 Inbound Licenses (Rights the Company Receives)
| Licensor | IP / Subject | Scope / Field of Use | Royalty / Term | Termination Rights | Audit Rights |
|----------|--------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|--------------|
| [[Licensor]] | [[Software / Patent / Content]] | [[Worldwide / specific]] | [[% / flat]] | [[For convenience / breach]] | [[Yes]] |
6.2 Outbound Licenses (Rights the Company Grants)
| Licensee | IP Granted | Territory / Use | Consideration | Exclusivity | Term |
|----------|------------|-----------------|---------------|-------------|------|
| [[Licensee]] | [[Trademark / Software]] | [[US only]] | [[$ / rev share]] | [[Non-exclusive]] | [[Perpetual / 5 yr]] |
6.3 Security Interests, Liens, and Collateral
- UCC filings or security agreements listing IP as collateral: [[Details or "None known"]]
- Any bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings affecting IP: [[None / describe]]
6.4 Open Source and Third-Party Components
- List of open source software/components used in products: [[List with licenses (MIT, GPL, Apache, etc.) and obligations]]
- Copyleft / viral license risks: [[Assessment]]
7. FREEDOM-TO-OPERATE (FTO) AND INFRINGEMENT ANALYSIS
7.1 FTO Opinions / Searches Performed
- Patents searched: [[Jurisdictions, classes, keywords, date of search]]
- Results / clearance: [[No blocking patents identified / specific risks flagged / design-arounds implemented]]
- Trademarks searched: [[Common-law + database clearance for [[Brand]] in key classes/countries]]
7.2 Known or Alleged Infringement Claims (Incoming or Outgoing)
[[Description of any cease-and-desist letters, lawsuits, or counterclaims - status and exposure]]
7.3 Enforcement History
- Company enforcement actions (cease-and-desist, litigation, UDRP): [[Summary]]
- Third-party enforcement against Company: [[Summary]]
8. OWNERSHIP AND CHAIN OF TITLE
- All material IP owned by the Company (not licensed) should be assigned to the Company by founders, employees, and contractors.
- Review of formation documents, founder agreements, and employment / consulting agreements: [[Status - complete / gaps in [[year]] hires]]
- Recordation of assignments with USPTO / Copyright Office / state offices where required: [[Status]]
- Any joint ownership or co-development arrangements: [[Details]]
Remediation: Obtain confirmatory assignments from any individuals or entities where chain is incomplete. Record with appropriate offices.
9. RENEWAL, MAINTENANCE, AND DEADLINE CALENDAR
| IP Asset | Deadline Type | Due Date | Responsible Party | Status / Action |
|----------|---------------|----------|-------------------|-----------------|
| [[Trademark Reg. No. XXX]] | Renewal (10 yr) | [[Date]] | [[IP Counsel]] | [[File Section 8/9 + specimen]] |
| [[Patent No.]] | Maintenance Fee (3.5 yr) | [[Date]] | [[ ]] | [[Pay or abandon decision]] |
| [[Domain]] | Renewal | [[Date]] | [[Ops]] | [[Auto-renew enabled]] |
Maintain a rolling 12-18 month calendar with alerts. Budget for official fees and attorney costs.
10. TRADE DRESS, DESIGN RIGHTS, AND OTHER IP
- Product design / packaging / user interface protectable as trade dress or design patents: [[Description and status]]
- Plant variety protection, mask works, or other specialized IP: [[None / describe]]
11. RECOMMENDED REMEDIATION ROADMAP (PRIORITIZED)
High Priority (0-60 days):
1. [[Secure missing assignments from [[former contractor]] for [[software module]]]
2. [[File trademark renewals for [[Brand]] in US and [[EU]]]
3. [[Update employee IP/confidentiality agreements to current form; execute with all staff]]
4. [[Conduct targeted FTO search in [[technology area]] before launch of [[Product]]]
Medium Priority (60-180 days):
- [[Register key copyrights for [[marketing assets and v2.0 software]]]
- [[Implement formal trade secret policy and access logging]]
- [[Obtain or update E&O / IP insurance coverage]]
Low / Ongoing:
- Quarterly IP docketing review
- Annual brand watch service subscription
- Employee training on IP protection and open source compliance
Estimated Budget Range for Recommended Actions (next 12 months): $[[Amount]] - $[[Amount]] (excluding internal time)
12. DOCUMENTS REVIEWED
- [[Articles of Organization / Incorporation and amendments]]
- [[Founder agreements, IP assignments, shareholder agreements]]
- [[Current and prior employee / contractor agreements]]
- [[License agreements (in and out)]]
- [[Registration certificates and file histories (USPTO, Copyright Office, foreign)]]
- [[Prior audit reports or opinions]]
- [[Insurance policies (IP / E&O / D&O)]]
- [[Other: [[List]]]]
13. DISCLAIMER AND LIMITATIONS
This report is based on information provided by the Company and public records available as of the Audit Date. It is not a legal opinion on validity, enforceability, or non-infringement. Laws and registration statuses change. The Company should consult qualified intellectual property counsel for specific legal advice, clearance opinions, or enforcement actions.
Primary Sources / References (as of 2026-06):
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) databases and rules
- U.S. Copyright Office practices
- Arkansas and federal trade secret statutes (Uniform Trade Secrets Act as adopted)
- Relevant international treaties and foreign IP offices for multi-jurisdictional assets
Report prepared by: [[Auditor Name / Firm]]
Contact: [[Email / Phone]]
Date of Report: [[Date]]
Confidential - For internal use of [[Client]] only. Do not distribute without permission.
