Patent Infringement Question — competitor copying my API

Quick background on my situation — any input appreciated.

competitor copying my API. I've been dealing with this for about 13 months now and the situation isn't improving.

This involves content I created over the past 25 months. I do not have documentation proving my ownership and timeline.

Should I hire a lawyer for this or try to handle it myself?

Been there. Here's what I learned.

I ended up having everything documented, which cost about $3-6 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

Have you tried reaching out to your state's attorney general? They sometimes have free resources or mediation services.

Been there. Here's what I learned.

I ended up hiring an attorney to send the initial letter, which cost about $2-4 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

Just want to point out — the statute of limitations might be a factor here. In some states it's as short as 1-2 years. Don't sit on this too long.

I went through almost the exact same thing.

I ended up escalating to a supervisor/manager, which cost about $1-3 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

Attorney here. Here's my take on the legal issues.

There are several legal theories that could apply here. The strongest is probably the DMCA safe harbor provisions, which requires showing compliant with notice requirements.

You should consult with a local attorney who handles these cases. Many offer free initial consultations.

Have you tried reaching out to your state's labor board? They sometimes have free resources or mediation services.

This happened to me too. Have you tried filing a complaint with the relevant agency? In my case they investigated and it got resolved without needing a lawyer.

Not a lawyer, but I have direct experience with this.

I ended up hiring an attorney to send the initial letter, which cost about $2-4 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

This happened to me too. Have you tried filing a complaint with the relevant agency? In my case they investigated and it got resolved without needing a lawyer.