Copyright Tip: When There’s No © Symbol
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Aug 3, 2017 in Basics of Intellectual Property
Tag: Copyright
All original works of authorship are protected by copyright as soon as they are created and placed in a fixed format. This is true even if there is no © symbol used. Be safe. Always obtain permission before: Reproducing the work Distributing copies of the work Preparing derivative materials based upon the work Displaying or performing the work publicly
Continue ReadingOptions for Protecting Original Software Code
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Jul 27, 2017 in Business' Intellectual Property
Protecting your original software code allows you to gain control over how your idea is distributed to the public. Do you want it to be open source? Licensed? Kept secret? Furthermore, without legal protection, you could even be prevented from using your own code in certain situations. There are three main ways to protect your code: trade secret, copyright, and patent. Trade secret A trade secret is proprietary information that gives an individual or company […]
Continue ReadingCopyright FAQ: Internet Images and Articles
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Jul 6, 2017 in Copyrights
If an image or article is free and publicly available on the web, can I use it with attribution? Not without permission from the appropriate copyright holders. If it is an original work of authorship, it is covered by copyright – no matter where you found the material, and even if you include the source.
Continue ReadingCopyright Law Can Protect Your Company or Product Logo
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Jun 22, 2017 in Copyrights
Many companies take the time to protect their logos with US trademark registration, but certain logos with original artwork can benefit from another level of protection: a US copyright registration. A copyright is also something to consider if the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) refuses to register your trademark. It’s possible that US copyright law may still be able to provide legal protection. Let’s take a look at which logos are eligible and why […]
Continue ReadingHow Do I Handle Every Day Copyright Issues?
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Aug 19, 2016 in Basics of Intellectual Property
Ooops…I made a Mistake! What do I do now? Copyright issues permeate every aspect of our lives in the electronic age. Clients regularly contact me regarding images they obtained from a third party website and used on their own website or in a presentation. Usually, the client has obtained a cease and desist letter from a stock photography company instructing the client to cease using the image(s) and to pay the stock photography company a […]
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Intellectual Property Frequently Asked Questions: Volume 2 – Copyrights
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Aug 4, 2016 in Basics of Intellectual Property
Our FAQ Series Continues… Intellectual Property Law can be a very confusing topic of conversation with clients, businesses, and friends. Today we are covering our second topic in our recurring Frequently Asked Questions series. Copyrights. What is a copyright? A copyright is a form of statutory protection provided to original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression” including literary, musical, dramatic, choreographic, pictorial, graphic and sculptural, motion picture and audio visual, sound recordings […]
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