Copyright
Protecting your property
In essence, copyright is an intellectual property law designed to credit the creator of a piece of work and protect his or her right to copy and distribute it. Copyright laws protect copyright holders from having their work stolen, and they determine who has what rights to any given work.
Copyright laws are especially important if you work in a business that focuses on intellectual property (such as publishing, television production or the music industry). Music copyright laws in particular have received a lot of attention due to online swapping of music files.
But whether you work in music, publishing or any other industry, it’s important for any business owner to have a basic knowledge of copyright laws, if for no other reason than to avoid copyright infringement. Even the names of certain products can be copyrighted, so doing some research is a good idea before you start to advertise.
Obtaining a Copyright
Obtaining a copyright is a thorny legal matter, and the process may differ depending on where you do business. Copyright protection laws and what is needed for copyright registration may also vary from place to place. There are certain standards that a work must meet in order to qualify for copyright protection, and the whole process will take some time. It is also worth noting that, while there are internationally recognized copyright agreements, there are still major differences in international copyright law.
Consulting an Attorney
When looking to obtain a copyright, it is definitely worthwhile to consul a copyright attorney and review all of the required copyright forms. While it may seem like a lengthy process, there are many benefits to securing the legal rights to your intellectual work.
Trademarks and Patents
Trademarks and patents differ from copyrights, though they all deal with the legal concept of intellectual property. Just like copyright, it’s important for a small business owner to understand the basics of laws surrounding both trademarks and patent, both for the sake of protecting intellectual property and preventing lawsuits.
A trademark is something that has been legally registered to represent a company. And it can be anything from a slogan to a distinct graphic (like your logo). Establishing trademarks is important to defend your business’ identity.
A patent is the legal protection of a certain invention (whether that invention is a tangible object or a process, etc.). It defends the patent-holder’s rights to make or sell a patented item or method. Patenting is especially important to business owners who want to maintain sole rights to a specific type of product - if you’re looking to market that great invention, make sure it’s patented first!
