Protect Your Intellectual Property With The Help Of Our Copyright And Trademark Attorneys
At Coast Law Group LLP, our lawyers know that intellectual property can be the most valuable assets that businesses and individuals own. Therefore, they need and deserve stringent legal protections. That’s where our team comes in. Our attorneys bring decades of experience to each case, and they have helped countless clients obtain, register and enforce copyrights, trademarks and patents. They can help you, too.
A Basic Overview Of Copyright Protection
Copyrights are one of the four basic types of intellectual property (along with trademarks, patents and trade secrets). Most people think of copyrights as applying to original written works, which they do, but they also protect other original works that are “fixed in a tangible form.” Examples include pictures, movies, artwork, musical compositions and recordings, software and even live performances.
As the copyright holder, you have the exclusive right to publish, sell, perform or display, and make copies of and distribute the work in its copyrighted form. You can also authorize another party to make these decisions on your behalf.
In theory, simply creating the work gives you the copyright. You technically don’t need to register it with the U.S. Copyright Office. However, without registering, it can be difficult to prove that you created it and prove when it was created. In other words, taking the time and effort to register your copyrighted work puts you in a much stronger position to prevent violations and to take legal actions against acts of infringement.
Our attorneys can help you with all aspects of copyright, from your original application through enforcement. They can also explain the limitations of copyright law and whether they may apply in your case.
Understanding Trademark Protections
The U.S. marketplace is a crowded one, and consumers often have thousands of companies to choose from when buying products or services. If your business provides an exceptional product or service, then you want to be sure that no one else can profit from a false association with you or your enterprise.
A trademark allows you to protect certain names, slogans and symbols unique to your business or brand. Technically, trademarks apply to goods while service marks apply to services. However, people commonly use the word “trademark” to refer to both.
Obtaining a trademark doesn’t prevent other entities from offering similar goods or services. Instead, it prevents them from claiming outright – or trying to confuse consumers into believing – that your offerings are theirs or vice versa.
As with copyrights, trademark protections may apply even without officially going through the registration process. However, it is wise to register with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to give yourself the strongest legal standing and greatest level of protection.
Consistent Trademark Enforcement Is Critical
It’s important to know that trademarks cannot be selectively enforced. If you challenge some infringers but not others, you could be at risk of losing trademark protection. Therefore, as your brand grows and becomes better known, your protection strategy may need to include hiring a lawyer to search for potential infringement and take appropriate legal action to stop it.
Contact Us Today Help With Your Intellectual Property Matters
Coast Law Group LLP serves clients in the San Diego area and throughout Southern California. To schedule your initial consultation with one of our experienced copyright and patent attorneys, call our Encinitas office at 760-670-4554 or submit an online contact form.