Intellectual Property Audit

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

Inventory all intellectual property assets in your business
Identify unprotected IP that needs registration or documentation
Assess IP risks such as infringement exposure or gaps in protection
Create an IP management plan with action items and timelines

DO NOT use this skill for filing applications (use trademark-application), drafting agreements, or legal disputes. This is for auditing and organizing your IP portfolio. Consult an IP attorney for legal strategy.

Core Principle

YOUR IP IS OFTEN YOUR MOST VALUABLE BUSINESS ASSET — IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU OWN, YOU CANNOT PROTECT IT, LICENSE IT, OR LEVERAGE IT.

Phase 1: Business Inventory

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Business name	"What is your legal business name?"	No default — must be provided
Products/services	"What do you sell or offer?"	No default — must be provided
Brand assets	"What brand names, logos, and slogans do you use?"	No default — list all
Content created	"What original content have you created? (courses, books, software, designs)"	No default — list all
Processes/methods	"Any proprietary processes, methods, or formulas?"	None
Employee/contractor work	"Have employees or contractors created IP for your business?"	Yes

GATE: Do not proceed without brand assets and content inventory.

Phase 2: IP Inventory

Trademark Assets

## Trademark Inventory

| Asset | Type | Status | Registration # | Class | Renewal Date |
|-------|------|--------|----------------|-------|-------------|
| [Business name] | Word mark | [Registered/Pending/Unregistered] | [#] | [Class] | [Date] |
| [Logo] | Design mark | [Status] | [#] | [Class] | [Date] |
| [Product name] | Word mark | [Status] | [#] | [Class] | [Date] |
| [Slogan/tagline] | Word mark | [Status] | | | |
| [Domain names] | Domain | Active | N/A | N/A | [Renewal] |

### Trademark Gaps
- [ ] [Asset] — used in commerce but not registered
- [ ] [Asset] — potential conflict identified

Copyright Assets

## Copyright Inventory

| Asset | Type | Created | Registered | Creator | Ownership |
|-------|------|---------|-----------|---------|-----------|
| [Course name] | Educational content | [Date] | [Yes/No] | [Creator] | [Company/Assigned] |
| [Website copy] | Literary work | [Date] | [No] | [Creator] | [Status] |
| [Software code] | Software | [Date] | [No] | [Creator] | [Status] |
| [Book/ebook] | Literary work | [Date] | [Yes/No] | [Creator] | [Status] |
| [Designs/graphics] | Visual art | [Date] | [No] | [Creator] | [Status] |

### Copyright Gaps
- [ ] [Asset] — created by contractor without IP assignment clause
- [ ] [Asset] — high-value work not registered with Copyright Office

Trade Secrets

## Trade Secret Inventory

| Asset | Description | Protection in Place |
|-------|-------------|-------------------|
| [Client list] | [Customer database with contact and purchase history] | [NDA: Yes/No, Access restricted: Yes/No] |
| [Pricing formulas] | [Proprietary pricing methodology] | [NDA: Yes/No] |
| [Processes/methods] | [Unique business processes or methods] | [Documented: Yes/No] |
| [Supplier info] | [Vendor relationships and terms] | [NDA: Yes/No] |

### Trade Secret Gaps
- [ ] [Secret] — no NDA covering access
- [ ] [Secret] — accessible to departing employees without restriction

Patent Assets (if applicable)

## Patent Inventory

| Asset | Type | Status | Application # | Expiration |
|-------|------|--------|---------------|-----------|
| [Invention] | [Utility/Design/Provisional] | [Granted/Pending/None] | [#] | [Date] |

Phase 3: Risk Assessment

## IP Risk Assessment

### Protection Gaps (Action Required)
| Risk | Severity | Action Needed | Priority |
|------|----------|--------------|----------|
| [Brand name unregistered] | High | File trademark application | Immediate |
| [Contractor work without IP assignment] | High | Execute assignment agreements | Immediate |
| [No NDAs with team members] | Medium | Create and distribute NDAs | Within 30 days |
| [Key content unregistered] | Medium | Register copyright | Within 90 days |
| [Domain variations unsecured] | Low | Register key variations | Within 90 days |

### Infringement Risks
| Risk | Description | Action |
|------|-------------|--------|
| [Third-party using similar name] | [Details] | [Monitor / Cease and desist / Legal review] |
| [Content being copied] | [Details] | [DMCA takedown / Legal review] |

### Contractual IP Issues
| Issue | Description | Action |
|-------|-------------|--------|
| [Contractor with no IP clause] | [Past work may not be owned] | Execute retroactive assignment |
| [Employee with no invention assignment] | [Inventions may be disputed] | Add clause to employment agreement |

Phase 4: IP Management Plan

## IP Action Plan

### Immediate (Next 30 Days)
1. [ ] [Action — e.g., file trademark for primary brand name]
2. [ ] [Action — e.g., execute IP assignment with key contractor]
3. [ ] [Action — e.g., implement NDA for all team members]

### Short-Term (30-90 Days)
1. [ ] [Action]
2. [ ] [Action]

### Ongoing
- [ ] Annual IP audit (schedule for [month])
- [ ] Trademark renewal tracking
- [ ] New content/product IP assessment before launch
- [ ] Contractor agreements include IP assignment clause
- [ ] Monitor for infringement [monthly / quarterly]

Example: Online Course Business

IP assets: Business name (unregistered), 3 course titles, course content (12 modules), proprietary framework name, website copy, logo, 2 ebooks, email sequences, templates.

Key findings: Business name and framework name are not trademarked — competitors could use them. Course content created by a contractor without IP assignment clause — ownership is unclear. Ebooks are not copyright registered. No NDAs in place.

Priority actions: 1) File trademark for business name and framework name. 2) Execute IP assignment with contractor retroactively. 3) Register copyright on highest-value course. 4) Implement NDAs for all team access to client lists and methods.

Anti-Patterns

Assuming you own what you paid for — without a written IP assignment, the creator may own the work. This is especially true for contractors.
Only protecting trademarks — IP includes copyrights, trade secrets, and potentially patents. Audit all categories.
Ignoring domain names — your domain is a brand asset. Secure key variations (.com, .co, common misspellings).
No regular audit schedule — IP grows as your business grows. Audit annually, not once.
Treating trade secrets casually — a trade secret that is not actually kept secret loses its legal protection.

Recovery

Contractor created key assets without IP clause: Negotiate a retroactive assignment agreement. This may require additional compensation.
Discovered someone infringing your brand: Document the infringement. Send a cease and desist. Consult an IP attorney if they do not comply.
Trademark name is already taken: Assess the overlap (different class, different geography). Consult a trademark attorney for options.
No IP protections in place at all: Start with the highest-value asset. For most solopreneurs, that is the brand name (trademark) and primary product content (copyright).