Welcome to part two of our two-part series on design patents. In the first part, we covered what a design patent is, what they protect, the increase in design patents over the past several decades, and a few specifics regarding how they work. Below, we are going to...
Basics of Intellectual Property
Understanding the Basics of Design Patents
Design patents can be a useful and valuable tool when seeking to protect a new and original ornamental design. This is part one of a two-part series that will delve into the basics to help you in understanding design patents. In this first part, we will focus on what...
Checklist: What to Do When You Receive a Cease-and-Desist Letter
You just received a cease-and-desist letter from a law firm in New York accusing you of trademark and copyright infringement. Your anxiety spikes. What do you do? Consult this checklist of nine steps you should take to protect your business and personal assets: In...
Trademark Registration or Copyright Registration, What is the Difference, and Do I Need One?
Do you own a business? Or are you an author, photographer, or composer who openly publishes your work? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then it might be beneficial to ask yourself: “Do I own any trademarks? Have I published any works that need copyright...
Joint Ownership of Intellectual Property Means You Cannot Act Alone
I recently came across an interesting legal case involving joint ownership and trademark registration. Here is an overview of the case and its implications. Yogi Bhajan was an Indian-born yoga and spiritual teacher who introduced his version of Kundalini yoga to the...
Business Owners Who Ignore Their “Signs” Do So At Their Own Peril
I have worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs, as well as small, medium, and large businesses. So trust me when I say that I understand starting a business and keeping it operating takes a lot of determination, planning, and an open mind. Those who are the most...
Do Not Ignore Cease and Desist Letters
Imagine this scenario: You receive a cease and desist letter from a law firm. It says you are committing trademark infringement and/or copyright infringement. What do you do? Let’s take this step by step: 1. Do. Not. Ignore. It. The circular file is not the...
Should You Register Your Copyrights?
I meet many business owners and individuals who have written books or manuals, taken professional photographs, created artwork, or written music, and they never register the copyrights for the original works with the U.S. Copyright Office. Some people just do not...