Intellectual Property Law Services
Copyright Law
A copyright protects your creative expression of ideas in media such as books, photos, graphic art, sculpture, music, movies, and computer software. Copyright law protection provides you with a collection of rights that prevents others from:
- Reproducing your copyrighted work
- Reproducing your copyrighted work into another form, such as making a movie from a novel
- Distributing your copyrighted work to the public
- Publicly performing your work (such as a play or music)
- Publicly displaying your work (such as a painting)
Maximizing the Value of Your Creativity
At the Idea Asset Group, we have experience identifying and protecting your rights as a copyright holder in the US. We can help register a copyright in the US, preparing and prosecuting copyright registrations for all types of creative works such as artwork, books, software, websites, music, and more. We also counsel our clients in a variety of other US copyright matters, including copyright enforcement and drafting and negotiating copyright licenses and agreements in the US.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need copyright registration for my work?
Copyright protection generally exists automatically once an original work is created and fixed in a tangible medium. However, federal copyright registration provides additional benefits, including the ability to file a copyright infringement lawsuit in the United States, potential eligibility for statutory damages and attorney’s fees, and a public record of ownership.
Can I protect my patents, copyrights, and trademarks globally?
Yes. Intellectual property rights can often be protected internationally, but there is no single worldwide patent, trademark, or copyright registration that automatically provides protection in every country. Patents and trademarks generally require country-by-country filings or the use of international filing systems that streamline the application process, while copyrights are often protected internationally through treaties and reciprocal recognition between countries. An effective global intellectual property strategy should evaluate where protection is needed based on manufacturing, sales, licensing, enforcement, and business expansion goals.
Who owns a patent, trademark, trade secret, or copyright?
Ownership of intellectual property depends on the type of asset and the specific circumstances surrounding its creation and use. Patents are generally initially owned by the inventor(s), copyrights by the author(s), trademarks by the party using the mark in commerce, and trade secrets by the person or entity controlling and protecting the confidential information. However, ownership may be transferred or modified by employment agreements, assignments, work-for-hire provisions, licenses, university policies, or other contractual obligations.
What our clients say
One of the things BHI found from using Santangelo was their ability to adapt copyright law to a very unusual set of circumstances and artwork. We, after all, work with fossils.
Probably the best thing about Santangelo Law services is the personal interactions and obvious interest in our products and ideas as well as the ability to brainstorm and adapt to changing circumstances.
The friendly atmosphere provided by the staff has been a very important and reassuring aspect of our interactions. I think that Luke surrounds himself with people who like people and are truly interested in helping those people find solutions to their problems.
Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, Inc.