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Intellectual property laws & protection

Intellectual property law helps individuals and businesses protect their inventions and creations so they can profit from them. Scroll to learn more about intellectual property and how you can get affordable legal advice for your business.

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Intellectual
property laws
& protection

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Intellectual
property overview

If you want to profit from your original work and inventions, filing for intellectual property protection is critical, and working with an experienced lawyer to make sure your applications are correct is critical. Also, if a business owns the valuable intellectual property, it can increase the value of the business itself. Deciding on the right type of intellectual property protection is also important. Learn about the three primary types of IP to the right.

Copyright

A copyright protects authors, artists and creators. Copyrights cover creative works such as songs, novels, movies, computer software, poetry and architecture.

If you own a construction company and develop original building designs or you’re a real estate broker and you write a book about your sales processes, you need to register for a copyright to protect your valuable creations.

Learn more here about getting legal assistance for copyright law.

Patents

A patent is a form of intellectual property that protects inventions. The two most common types of patents are Utility Patents and Design Patents.

If you develop a new kind of machine or your software company develops new software, you may need a patent. Note that software can be both copyrighted (for the code) and patented (for the invention). Deciding on one vs the other has significant consequences. Sometimes you may need both.

Trademarks

A trademark protects brand names, taglines and logos used on goods. Logos are considered Design Marks while plain text names and taglines are considered Word Marks. You may need both types of trademark. Service Marks are used to protect the names of intangible assets like ideas and songs.

For example, if you own a restaurant or other food business and you want to make sure nobody else in your area uses the same name and logo as you, a trademark would protect you.

Learn more here about getting legal assistance for trademark law.

Copyright

A copyright protects authors, artists and creators. Copyrights cover creative works such as songs, novels, movies, computer software, poetry and architecture.

Learn more here about getting legal assistance for copyright law.

Patents

A patent is a form of intellectual property that protects inventions. The two most common types of patents are Utility Patents and Design Patents.

Trademarks

For example, if you own a restaurant or other food business and you want to make sure nobody else in your area uses the same name and logo as you, a trademark would protect you.

Learn more here about getting legal assistance for trademark law.

Copyright

A copyright protects authors, artists and creators. Copyrights cover creative works such as songs, novels, movies, computer software, poetry and architecture.

Learn more here about getting legal assistance for copyright law.

What does an intellectual
property lawyer do?

Intellectual property lawyers operate in three main capacities.

Strategy

The first step in securing the proper intellectual property protection is to identify all the types of protection you may need.

It may be obvious that you just need a trademark for your business name
Other situations such as software development can be protected with both a patent and copyright, and there may be a need for a trademark as well
Lawyers that specialize in this area of law help their clients develop the right intellectual property strategy

Registration

Once you know what sort of protection you need, lawyers can conduct searches for existing trademarks, copyrights or patents that might prevent you from registering your creation.

If the search is clean, your lawyer can prepare and file all of the necessary paperwork
During the approval process, lawyers will communicate with the government, answer their questions and provide supplemental information as needed
Intellectual property registration can be very complex, especially when it comes to patents. By working with an experienced lawyer, you’ll rest easy knowing your protection will be enforceable

Negotiation and Litigation

Intellectual property lawyers can help pursue people that violate intellectual property rights or defend their clients if they've been accused of violating someone else's.

awyers may engage in negotiations to get a violator to stop or to allow their client to make business changes and avoid trial
If necessary, the lawyer will go to court to defend you if you’re accused of a violation
Your lawyer can also seek an injunction and damages against businesses that violate your intellectual property rights

Strategy

The first step in securing the proper intellectual property protection is to identify all the types of protection you may need.

It may be obvious that you just need a trademark for your business name
Other situations such as software development can be protected with both a patent and copyright, and there may be a need for a trademark as well
Lawyers that specialize in this area of law help their clients develop the right intellectual property strategy

Registration

Once you know what sort of protection you need, lawyers can conduct searches for existing trademarks, copyrights or patents that might prevent you from registering your creation.

If the search is clean, your lawyer can prepare and file all of the necessary paperwork
During the approval process, lawyers will communicate with the government, answer their questions and provide supplemental information as needed
Intellectual property registration can be very complex, especially when it comes to patents. By working with an experienced lawyer, you’ll rest easy knowing your protection will be enforceable

Negotiation and Litigation

Intellectual property lawyers can help pursue people that violate intellectual property rights or defend their clients if they've been accused of violating someone else's.

awyers may engage in negotiations to get a violator to stop or to allow their client to make business changes and avoid trial
If necessary, the lawyer will go to court to defend you if you’re accused of a violation
Your lawyer can also seek an injunction and damages against businesses that violate your intellectual property rights

Strategy

The first step in securing the proper intellectual property protection is to identify all the types of protection you may need.

It may be obvious that you just need a trademark for your business name
Other situations such as software development can be protected with both a patent and copyright, and there may be a need for a trademark as well
Lawyers that specialize in this area of law help their clients develop the right intellectual property strategy

Registration

Once you know what sort of protection you need, lawyers can conduct searches for existing trademarks, copyrights or patents that might prevent you from registering your creation.

If the search is clean, your lawyer can prepare and file all of the necessary paperwork
During the approval process, lawyers will communicate with the government, answer their questions and provide supplemental information as needed
Intellectual property registration can be very complex, especially when it comes to patents. By working with an experienced lawyer, you’ll rest easy knowing your protection will be enforceable

Negotiation and Litigation

Intellectual property lawyers can help pursue people that violate intellectual property rights or defend their clients if they've been accused of violating someone else's.

awyers may engage in negotiations to get a violator to stop or to allow their client to make business changes and avoid trial
If necessary, the lawyer will go to court to defend you if you’re accused of a violation
Your lawyer can also seek an injunction and damages against businesses that violate your intellectual property rights

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Legal consultation from a provider lawyer on business legal matters, with legal research for each issue, if needed.

Letters or phone calls

Receive help with business legal matters more efficiently with professional communications issued on your behalf.

Outline of people engaged in a legal consultation.

Document review

Put business-related legal documents through legal review.

Collection letters

A collection letter from a provider lawyer could help you recoup payments more efficiently.

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Legal consultation from a provider lawyer on business legal matters, with legal research for each issue, if needed.

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Intellectual property laws & protection

Intellectualproperty laws& protection

Intellectualproperty overview

Copyright

Patents

Trademarks

Copyright

Patents

Trademarks

Copyright

What does an intellectualproperty lawyer do?

Strategy

Registration

Negotiation and Litigation

Strategy

Registration

Negotiation and Litigation

Strategy

Registration

Negotiation and Litigation

Speak to a lawyer

Speak to a lawyer

Speak to a lawyer

Key features of our Small Business Legal Plans

Advice, consultation & reserach

Letters or phone calls

Document review

Collectionletters

Collection letters

Advice, consultation & reserach

Letters or phone calls

Document review

Collection letters

Advice, consultation & reserach

FAQs

Customer Service team

Member Bill Of Rights

Intellectual
property laws
& protection

Intellectual
property overview

What does an intellectual
property lawyer do?

Advice,
consultation & reserach

Letters or
phone calls

Document
review

Collection
letters