For many start-ups and existing small businesses, funding and resources are tight, so they necessarily take great care when deciding where to invest their money. However, one place that many businesses unfortunately overlook is planning for and protecting their...
A Los Angeles federal judge recently rejected General Motors’ attempt to dismiss a lawsuit by a street artist whose parking garage mural was used in a 2016 Cadillac ad campaign without permission. That may seem like no big deal – after all, it’s not like the artist...
You may not be surprised to learn that you cannot copyright a skyline. However, you can certainly copyright photographs that are taken of that skyline. If someone takes your image without your permission and uses it, you may have grounds for a copyright infringement...
The second you create an original work, you own the copyright for that work. It does not need to be registered for you to have ownership. It is your intellectual property. But what if you want someone else to have control over the copyright? Or maybe you want to...
Understanding and maximizing your company’s intellectual property (IP) assets, which include trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets, is crucial as you operate and expand your business. This knowledge will help you identify and pursue remedies if someone...
A trademark identifies a product's source. It helps customers differentiate your business from competitors. If you develop a good reputation, customers know they can trust products bearing your trademark. Service marks are close cousins to trademarks and serve a...
A recognizable logo allows you to advertise your business anywhere – on your storefront sign, website, business cards, employee ID cards, in-store signage, product packaging, print ads, social media accounts, and so many more places. It is a crucial part of branding,...
It is easy to think of yourself as a small, local business, especially if you never leave the house to run it. However, the reality is the second you create a website you are operating in the global marketplace. This also means you are subject to many of the same laws...