How Can I Protect My Intellectual Property?

There are many different methods of protection when it comes to tangible, or real property. There are a wide variety of insurance policies and other forms of protection coverage for your home, car, or other property. You might be wondering if there are forms of protection for intangible property. Intellectual property is a form of property that can include intangible creations, such as inventions, designs, or any other abstract findings. If you have an idea for the creation of intellectual property, it’s important that you know the three methods of protection to keep your idea safe and legally protected.

What Are the Forms of Protection for Intellectual Property?

• Copyright: This is a tangible document of your legal rights to protect your intellectual property. If you copyright your creation, you will be protecting your right to sue infringers and can collect damages and attorney’s fees if you ever file a lawsuit. Any books, paintings, music, sculptures, films, computer programs, advertisements, or maps should be copyrighted.
• Trademark: Registering your intellectual property under a trademark will simply give proper legitimacy to your product. Trademarks help distinguish your good or service of one enterprise from any other enterprise.
• Patent: A patent gives you an exclusive right to an invention, which is defined as a good or service that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new solution to a problem. In order to receive a patent, you must provide technical information about your product or service to the public.

What Else Can I Do to Protect My Intellectual Property?

Besides registering your product or service under the appropriate IP protection, there are a few other things you can do to make sure your creation is protected from infringement. You can also:

• Receive foreign registration: If you plan to sell or provide your creation oversees, it will be important for you to register it abroad.
• Keep it a secret: In general, you should limit the people you speak to about your intellectual property until you know it is fully legally protected.
• Oversee your marketplace: Keep an eye on your industry in case your IP protection misses something. Pay attention to new products and companies, watch out for Internet searches and alerts, and investigate any products that are similar to yours.

If you believe that your intellectual property has experienced infringement, you should take legal action as soon as possible. Contact our business dispute attorneys at James McKiernan Lawyers today to schedule a free consultation.