Boston partner Tony Laurentano was quoted in a two-part series published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, highlighting the importance of intellectual property (IP) for mechanical engineers.

In part one, Laurentano emphasized that engineers often underestimate the patentability of their work. “Engineers don’t always recognize when the work they do is innovative enough to be patentable,” he said, noting that many are “hard-wired to be humble” and assume that “if they can figure something out, anyone can.” He explained that even incremental improvements may be patentable if they meet the criteria of novelty, usefulness, and non-obviousness.

Part two expanded on practical IP considerations beyond patents, including trademarks, copyrights, design patents, and trade secrets. Laurentano also addressed the growing role of AI in engineering, noting that “inventions developed with the assistance of AI remain patentable, but only human beings can be named as inventors.” He emphasized that documenting human judgment and decision-making is increasingly important as AI tools accelerate the design process.

Subscribers may access part one and part two here.