Intellectual Property Law
As an artist, inventor, or designer, protecting your intellectual property should be a primary concern. Intellectual Property is basically Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, and Trade Secrets.
There are two main areas of patents: Utility Patents and Design Patents. Utility patents are inventions or processes that have a utility and where the invention is new and has been reduced to practice. Design Patents are the patents of designs which do not have a utility i.e. the pattern on a shoe.
Trademarks
Trademarks are some of the most infamous forms of intellectual property. Trademarks are typically associated with a brand whether it be Starbucks, Nike or a slogan such as GE’s Bringing Ideas to Life. Federal registration of trademarks has the broadest protection compared to state registration.
Copyrights
Copyrights are typically associated with the arts such as literature, music, film, and works of art, but it can also protect some software code. Trade secrets can be a multitude of various forms of intellectual property.
Trade Secrets
Trade secrets must have value to the owners and they must be reasonable protected. The most famous trade secret is the recipe for Coca-Cola.
Intellectual Property may be your most important asset and getting the property protection and leveraging strategy in place is critical for maintaining your rights and investments in your intellectual property. It is highly recommended that you discuss your intellectual property needs with an intellectual property attorney.
| IP Form | Filing Cost | Protection Period | Used For | Federal Reg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patent | $$$$ | Up to 20 years | Inventions/Designs | |
| Trademark | $$ | No limit | Brands/Slogans | |
| Copyright | $ | Up to 120 years | Music, Film, Art, etc. |
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