Bay Area Intellectual Property Attorney
In today’s increasingly digital world, every company has a chance to be valued at millions, perhaps billions, of dollars. The importance and value of intellectual property has spread wildly, and every individual and business with a creative idea or an innovative process should understand the need to protect that property.
Intellectual property goes beyond just software or computer code. Great books, beautiful art and even a unique process for creating something can all be valuable intellectual property that you need to protect. Bay Area Intellectual Property Attorney Mike Ross is here to help you to do just that.
With more than 30 years of experience and with a history of working for innovative technology companies in leadership positions, Mr. Ross understands the importance of protecting your ideas and information. He has extensive experience to help protect your intellectual property, license and profit from your intellectual property, and ensure that you realize the full value of the IP you develop. Call today to speak with Bay Area Intellectual Property Attorney, Mr. Ross and learn how he can advise your business on IP issues.
Understanding Intellectual Property
Any creation of the mind can be considered intellectual property, and the creator has certain legal rights. There are multiple processes for protecting your intellectual property, depending on the nature of your IP. These include:
- Copyrights: Copyrights are available to the authors of “original works of authorship.” This can include books, plays, art and other similar intellectual works. The 1976 Copyright Act protects the rights of authors and creators and gives them the exclusive right to reproduce and profit from their work.
- Trademarks: A trademark is a symbol, word, name or device that identifies goods as distinct. The trademark helps people to know the source of a product while a service mark helps people to know the source of a service. The famous Apple with a bite taken out, for example, is a trademark of Apple Computers and allows consumers to immediately recognize that the product is made by Apple, as opposed to another computer company.
- Patents: A patent is granted to someone who invents a product or a process. For example, the formulas for many drugs are patented, as well as most technology innovations. While copyrights, trademarks and patents all limit how intellectual property can be used by anyone other than its owner, the protection is not always absolute. For example, fair use laws allow people to quote parts of copyrighted work for purposes of review and allow people to create derivative works such as parodies.
- Know-How and Trade Secrets: Know-how and trade secrets are intellectual property that is either is or is not patentable, but you do not want your competitors to get access to your intellectual property. Know-how and trade secrets are vital IP that should be protected by restricting access and by non-disclosure agreements. The recipe for Coke is a trade secret and a semiconductor process is know-how.
The issue of how to protect your rights, and exactly what rights are protected, can be confusing. An experienced intellectual property lawyer like Mr. Ross can provide the guidance and representation you need to protect your ideas.
Bay Area Intellectual Property Attorney, Mr. Ross will provide you with invaluable assistance in taking affirmative steps to protect your intellectual property. This property may be the most valuable commodity you have, so do not hesitate to secure your rights. Call today to speak with Mr. Ross and learn how he can help you.
