Where Do Trademark and Copyright Symbols Go? **Attorney Advertising**
As an entrepreneur or small business owner, it’s important to understand when and how to use trademark and copyright symbols. These symbols indicate that a word, phrase, or image is protected by law, and they help to deter others from using your protected material without permission. But where do these symbols go? Read on to […]
Can Trade Secrets be Sold or Licensed? **Attorney Advertising**
Trade secrets are a type of intellectual property that can provide a competitive advantage to a business. Unlike patents and copyrights, trade secrets are not registered with the government and are instead kept secret by the owner of the information. But can trade secrets be sold or licensed? The answer is yes, but there are […]
The Most Common Copyright Mistake Intellectual Property Attorneys See Small Businesses Make. **Attorney Advertising**
In terms of copyrights, one of the most common mistakes intellectual property attorneys see clients make is failing to properly transfer ownership of a work. Whether it’s a logo, a piece of art, or anything else, whoever creates the work is automatically considered the owner of the copyright unless there’s an agreement in place that […]
Records to Keep and Documents to Create When You Have an Idea for a New Invention. **Attorney Advertising**
Any new invention starts with an idea. And while it may be tempting to rush headlong into making that idea a reality, it’s important to take a moment to document your thoughts. After all, ideas are susceptible to theft, and it can be difficult to remember all the details of an idea once it’s been […]
What Can’t You Patent? **Attorney Advertising**
A patent is a form of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing an invention for a limited period of years. In order to get a patent, you must first file a patent application with the Patent Office in your country. In the US, […]
Protecting Intellectual Property Rights in a Franchise Agreement **Attorney Advertising**
A franchisor (or creator/developer of a business) licenses his or her techniques, intellectual property (trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and potentially patents), marketing, basic know-how, and rights to sell branded items and services to a franchisee through franchising. A typical franchisor–franchisee relationship lasts several years, during which time the franchisor provides various levels of support to […]
Spring Cleaning for your IP: 8 Steps to Take **Attorney Advertising**
Spring is here and it’s an excellent time to organize and audit your intellectual property. If it’s been a while since you’ve taken an audit of your “IP” or if you’ve never taken the time to secure your intellectual property rights at all, here are some key points to consider: Make sure you have an […]
The Easiest Way to Get Sued for Trademark Infringement **Attorney Advertising**
You may be surprised to learn that one of the easiest ways to get sued for trademark infringement is to file a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Yes… let that sink in. Merely applying to register a trademark is one of the top ways that people wind up on […]
What to Know When Seeking to Trademark a Foreign Word or Phrase **Attorney Advertising**
Coming up with a unique name for a brand, good, or service that can ultimately be trademarked is challenging. To stand out, and apart, from competitors and those who may already have intellectual property rights, some business owners will look to foreign words that aren’t commonly known or understood by English-speaking consumers to represent their […]
7 Tips for Staying in Control of Your Intellectual Property **Attorney Advertising**
Applying for a trademark, copyright, or patent is just one part of having a comprehensive plan in place for your business or brand’s intellectual property (IP). Far too many people believe that once the initial application process is over that they are fully protected and no further steps need to be taken. This is just […]
