50 years after their invention, Polaroid is still synonymous with those cute, nonchalant little instant photographic prints, spit out half-baked onto our floors or developing in our hands in seconds.  Humanity has now taken them for granted, but they remain a genuine marvel to this day.  We went from elaborate print facilities the size of a city block, to a miniature print lab within the camera, in the palm of your hands, seemingly overnight.

The miracle of instant photography seemed to come in an instant, then was forgotten, just as suddenly.

Whatever the reason, Polaroids are back.  And, at the moment of the 50^th anniversary of the Polaroid SX-70, the instant camera that developed the entire market, we wanted to talk about Polaroid’s “Polaroid Moment” – the moment that made all the difference for Polaroid’s success.

Beckman Law is proud to announce that Christopher Beckman, our Managing Partner, has been recognized in IAM 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists.  IAM 300 is one of the highest honors in the field of Intellectual Property, highlighting only the “best of the best” – the most exceptional Intellectual Property professionals, as determined by Intellectual property market sources, including companies, law firms, IP brokers, and other players in the intellectual property field. 

In IAM’s words, Chris’ “corporate strategy and business-minded IP advice is like gold dust for emerging companies.”

This is the 6th year in a row that Chris has received the IAM 300 award, and he was also recognized as a Strategy 300 Global Leader in 2026.

In a surprise holiday gift for innovators, the United States has made major cuts to its intellectual property fees, reducing its take from small innovators, called “small entities” and “micro-entities.” This essentially means that individual inventors and most businesses with fewer than 500 employees will now be paying much less for patent applications in the United States!
For example, U.S. filing fees for new Patent Applications are now at a 60% discount for Small Entities and at an 80% discount for Micro Entities, in comparison to the undiscounted rates.

It is an excellent time to file a patent application on that genius idea or design, and protect your rights to your business income from innovation.