By Marius Meland ( April 6, 2006, 12:00 AM EDT) -- Companies clearly recognize the economic value of properly protecting their intangible assets. While intellectual property (IP) protection programs were once just good business practice, under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 ("SOX" or the "Act"), companies now face a codified duty of care to protect, maintain and value their intangibles. SOX forces companies to comply with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulations requiring stringent disclosure and proper valuation of IP and intangible assets. Although the duty of care seems intimidating at first, especially since failure to comply may result in criminal or civil liability, a company can easily comply with these requirements by understanding its intellectual property portfolio and establishing proper procedures and controls to protect and maintain its intangibles....