Every business has some type of intellectual property (IP) that needs protecting. However, with all the different laws and ideas floating around the internet, it can be very difficult to know exactly what needs to be protected and how best to keep it safe. Many owners have developed customer-lists and trade secrets that need to be shared with third-parties.
Companies that specialize in certain industries may need to put a strong non-disclosure agreement in place before hiring a new employee or even interviewing one. Other businesses need to protect their brand name and logo through trademark law and licensing agreements. Artist-businesses often need to copyright their most valuable assets. You can do all of these things with the help of a skilled business law attorney. Reach out to a Georgia intellectual property lawyer and take the necessary steps to protect your company.
While the general public often uses terms like “trademark” and “copyright” interchangeably, they actually refer to very different ways of protecting your company’s work. Some of the most common forms of legal protection our lawyers deal with when it comes to intellectual property are trademarks, service marks, copyrights, and patents.
Trademarks protect symbols, designs, or phrases that visually distinguish one company’s product from another. Business owners typically trademark their logos and slogans. Service marks are similar to trademarks but are meant to distinguish services rather than goods.
A copyright is a legal designation that grants exclusive usage rights to the creator(s) of an original work. On the other hand, a patent is a legal designation that prohibits anyone other than a product’s inventor or successor-in-title from manufacturing, selling, or (in some cases) using a new invention.
Even if you protect all your vital pieces of intellectual property, you must safeguard your trade secrets. This type of valuable information cannot receive formal government protections.
The number of ways in which a third party could infringe upon your intellectual property rights is virtually infinite. While certain violations like piracy of copyrighted material are obviously illegal under federal law, others can be a bit more complicated. For instance, a third party making a product that is almost identical to a patented one or a company using vague language to skirt around trademarks are both examples of infringement.
In modern times, cybersquatting—buying Internet domains associated with certain trademarks and effectively holding them for ransom—has become an increasingly common method of IP infringement. It is also particularly difficult to combat. No matter what type of infringement your business is dealing with, an attorney familiar with intellectual property can help you take effective action against it.
Many instances of intellectual property infringement can be remedied with a cease-and-desist demand letter, private negotiations, or third-party mediation. However, in some situations, you might have no other option than to pursue a lawsuit. With a successful IP infringement lawsuit, our local attorneys can help you seek remedies, such as:
Our legal team has the knowledge and resources to help you protect your brand and get the restitution your need.
At Sparks Law, our business attorneys offer high-quality, product-based solutions to your problems. Consult with a Georgia intellectual property lawyer so you can get the legal protection that your company needs. Whether you need to protect a new scientific invention or a catchy slogan you spent months working on, call our firm today.