By Edward L. Birk and Crystal T. Broughan In a recent post, we wrote about the fast-paced world of broadcasting, made even faster by the Internet age, and how this has led to the temptation of pulling imagery from websites without confirming copyright and securing...
Copyrights
Things You Cannot Copyright
Advancements in internet and new media technology have given rise to information and creative materials spreading faster and wider than ever before in history. In turn, the sheer amount of copyright-protected material has increased exponentially. Not surprisingly,...
Jewelry Designs and Copyright Protection
Copyright law protects many different types of original artistic expressions that are original to the creator and fixed in a tangible form. Artistic pieces like earrings, necklaces, broaches, rings, and bracelets may be protected by copyright law if there are original...
Dance Moves – Can You Claim Copyright Infringement?
Written by Guest Author, Marks Gray Associate Logan McEwen The boundaries of copyright law are tested in an increasingly digital world, but digital arts can give a new perspective on old issues. Like the question: can you claim copyright infringement for a dance move?...
Companies Should Take Note of This Street Artist Win
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...
Copyrighting a Skyline: Two Sample Cases
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...
Tips for Business Owners: Document the Transfer, Assignment, or License of Your Copyrights
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...
Tips for Business Owners: Understand How Work Made for Hire Impacts Your Intellectual Property
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...