Protecting intellectual property often requires formal federal registration. Each type of intellectual property has different rules in place. Companies can take steps to copyright creative works, patent new products and register unique trademarks. Trademarks are...
Businesses can acquire the rights to original creative works through a few different methods. Some companies hire composers, writers, photographers and other creative professionals. Their contracts may give them ownership rights over the creations produced by that...
Commercial real estate developers often focus on land use, zoning, construction and financing as they seek to manage and expand their portfolio. However, intellectual property (IP) issues can also significantly impact on their projects. Overlooking IP considerations...
Learning you have been sued for trademark infringement can cause you to feel panicked, confused and worried about the future of your business. Being sued can lead to significant financial consequences and ruin your professional reputation. It is important to act...
Copyright law may be used to protect several forms of creative expression in the areas of art, film, music, and literature. Once you have obtained a copyright on your work, you typically have the exclusive right to perform it, reproduce it, make derivative works from...
Some business owners are unaware or dismissive of the importance of getting a federally protected trademark, patent or copyright. This is a misstep that can cost them in myriad ways. It can even lead to them not being adequately compensated for their work. That might...
A cease-and-desist letter is a formal legal document that demands the recipient stop engaging in a specific unlawful or improper activity. These letters are commonly used in response to trademark or copyright infringement, but can also address issues such as...
Because of digital technology and the Internet, it's easier than ever to copy something and distribute it all over the world. This has profound implications for copyright law and business. It's so easy to copy protected works that some people think that copyright law...
When a company has a trademark on a word, this doesn't necessarily mean it has exclusive rights to the word. It means it has exclusive rights to the word in certain contexts in the marketplace. This may seem like just a matter of semantics, but it has important...
Trade secrets are some of your most valuable intellectual properties. There are many things that constitute trade secrets, but generally, they are anything that has inherent economic value for your business. Your trade secrets can be your information, designs,...