As the United States has shifted to an information and technology-based economy, it has become increasingly important to protect intellectual property. Indeed, for many companies, intellectual property is their most important asset. The protections available for intellectual property range and generally fall into four categories: (1) patents, (2) trademarks, (3) copyrights, and (4) trade secrets. While the first three forms of protection all come with upfront costs, such as filing fees and attorneys' fees, trade secret protection does not and simply requires companies to follow best practices. It's the "free" IP.
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