Intellectual Property Practice Area
Trademark, Domain Names, Copyrights
Licensing-Clearance-Basics
Estates with Intellectual Property
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Our Trademark & Domain Name Practice
Trademarks are the essence of online identity or "brand." We protect our clients' business reputation and good will by carefully examining, searching and comparing marks. We protect and defend claims against domain names and provide agreements for their effective transfer or sale. We advise how, when, where and whether to use and register a mark and domain name. With the clash of domain names and trademarks, we provide up-to-the-minute international knowledge of this rapidly changing part of the law. We register trademarks worldwide, and act vigorously when our clients' rights are at stake, whether they own the TM or Domain Name. These disputes can be arbitrated and litigated through the ICANN rules and laws, such as ACPA. Licensing for royalties and the monitoring the proper use of marks by others are a major part of the close personal attention we have provided since 1980.For articles on this topic, see the Trademark Library
Our Employment & Unfair Competition Practice
For transactions and contracts to be binding and as enforceable as possible, they must follow the rules. Within our fields of expertise, we help our clients with online and traditional business forms such as corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, L.L.C. and others. Working with our clients' CPA and tax advisors, CEO, CTO and management as a team, our goal is to help make our clients' e-business work profitably world wide.Through mergers, buy outs, and acquisitions (M&A), we have helped our clients through transactions, due diligence and compliance. We prepare contracts, licenses and serve internal business needs. Some clients use our "Virtual In House Counsel" services.
Where traditional intellectual property protection may mean unwanted disclosure, trade secrecy and non-disclosure advice are a part of the way we provide close personal attention to our client's e-business. In unfair competition and advertising, our legal battles include trademark infringement and dilution, data theft, name and identity misuse, rights of publicity, false advertising, "passing off" and other such claims.
For articles on this topic, see the Business Library
Our Copyright Licensing and Clearance Practice
Our firm protects copyrights in music, recordings, performances, film, books, art, videos, visual art, texts, toys, games and all other forms of creative works. We cover registration, licensing, transfers, and estate planning and royalty collection. We litigate infringements judiciously and expeditiously. Our firm may help place music with publishers, performing rights societies, unions and guilds. We help protect our clients' good works. Professional clearance of any project can limit the chance of litigation. Having secure copyrights can lead to investment, growth and profits. If it can't be cleared, don't use it.Our technology Copyright practice extends to Internet commerce, software, and databases. Our expertise reaches from 1960s psychedelic poster art through licensing music to the newest hip-hop and Grammy-winning bands. We help license music, art and many other creations into films, animations, streaming video, DRM, new media, toys such as "Hit Clips" and other computer- and internet-related, cutting-edge industries of the future.
For articles on this topic, see the Copyright Library
Estate Planning & Probate Practice
Much of intellectual property can benefit future generations and help produce income during retirement years. Copyrights, for example, last for the life of the author plus 70 years. When an estate includes entertainment properties, such as a movie, video, music, books, art, software and other enduring and income producing intellectual property, it must be planned from a perspective that includes the ability to set up proper IP control and exploitation. When it includes real property we have managed, sold, leased and maintained that property.We manage and administer copyright and trust estates, retrieve otherwise lost income, exploit publishing, and provide, in the process, estate planning and IP administration. Existing estates are managed with avenues for income, possible infringements, protection, registration and maintenance.
Probate of estates that include IP, real property and other complex properties requires careful planning, maintenance and timing. Many times property needs to be auctioned and copyrights need to be transferred, with follow-up including assignments, licenses and other agreements that need to be updated and the parties notified. Our partners have probated and managed estates of the famous such as Janis Joplin, Gobind Behari Lal, Bola Sete and Vince Guaraldi among others.
For an article on this topic, see Estates 2000 and Beyond