Copyright Law in Baltimore, MD

There are bad faith actors in Baltimore that will infringe upon your intellectual property if you do not take the proper steps to protect yourself with a licensed trademark. This could result in product confusion for the customer, and even loss of income for you. Due to this fact, it may be in your best interest to engage with an experienced copyright attorney in Baltimore.

What Is Copyright Registration?

Copyright registration offers the author of a piece of work in Baltimore, Maryland some protection from those who try to steal their idea.

A novel creation receives copyright protection when it becomes fixed into a tangible form. Copyright law dictates how to establish this ownership. Additionally, it explains how to register intellectual property or defend against infringement.

Copyright registration is a type of public record for ownership. A piece of work doesn’t require copyright registration for protection under the US copyright law. However, you should register your product in Baltimore, MD with the help of a copyright lawyer, as this can offer you several unique advantages:

  • Protects your work against the importation of copies that infringe the registration. Your registration will be recorded with the United States Customs and Border Protection.
  • If your work is already registered in the United States, you can proceed with an infringement lawsuit; otherwise, you will have to register it first.
  • The IP owner can seek damages and attorney fees if a copyright registration happens within three months of publication (or prior to an infringement claim).
  • If a copyrighted work becomes registered outside of the three-month time frame, you may seek actual damages that you lost.
  • Copyright registration will identify each public record of its existence. This action puts the copyright protection into public notice for the piece of work that you’ve created and/or own.

What Is a Trademark?

A trademark is a word, symbol, design, or phrase that distinguishes you from another company. Service marks are a type of trademark that a company will use when providing services to the public. Technically, trademarks are a form of intellectual property. It also forms part of the company’s brand, even if they no longer use it.

Here are some of the components that established Baltimore, MD business people and brand owners often trademark:

  • Logos
  • Symbols
  • Product packages
  • Name of the business
  • Name of the product or service
  • Designs

The Maryland Secretary of State affirms that there are 3 main steps that an entity must take in order to trademark or copyright intellectual property. These steps include:

  • Filing the Trademark Application with the Secretary of State’s Office
  • Providing 3 examples of the specified mark used in commerce
  • Paying the accompanying $50 application fee

WMAR2 News in Baltimore esports that foreigner NFL star Lamaar Jackson has recently trademarked 2 new phrases. These are in conjunction with 2 restaurants that are planning to open. The trademarked phrases are “PLAY ACTION SOULFOOD AND MORE”, and “YOU 8 YET?”.

How Long Does It Take to Register a Trademark and Copyright?

The time it takes for you to receive your trademark depends upon several various factors, such as filing your application correctly, as well as deciding whether you want the trademark to be state wide or nation wide. You can also have your trademark process delayed if there is pushback from another company. The Baltimore Sun reports that a Las Vegas based apparel company attempted to trademark the phrase “Big Truss”. However, this is being litigated because it was the unofficial motto of the Baltimore Ravens in 2020.

If you receive this type of pushback, you may want to have an experienced Baltimore copyright attorney by your side. He or she can help you to protect your property, and avoid filing pitfalls, moving forward.

What’s the Difference Between a Trademark and a Copyright?

The value of your Baltimore, MD business depends on the assets it owns. It’s important to note that the most valuable assets are not always physical or financial. Your intellectual property counts as assets too. Due to this, if people use those assets without your permission, you can file a lawsuit for infringement.

While trademarks and copyrights protect intellectual property, they cover two different aspects. Copyright registration protects artistic and literary works, such as videos and books. A trademark registration protects brand components. This can be a jingle, a logo, or a mascot of your organization.

Take, for example, if you own a magazine publishing company. You would trademark the logo and the name of your company. However, you would also place copyright protection on all the magazines that you have published.

Work With an Experienced Baltimore, Maryland Copyright Lawyer

Do you have an idea that needs protection under intellectual property law? If so, complete the registration process as soon as possible. There is always the risk that someone else might beat you to it. This eventuality can create complications when the time comes to defend IP rights claims.

An experienced Baltimore, MD copyright lawyer can help you uncover if anyone else has registered a similar idea. If your concept closely resembles another, it might get rejected. Consequently, it is better to find this early than to go through the process only to get denied later. In addition, an intellectual property lawyer will help you to draft critical documents. Or, they can determine the value of the intellectual property that you own.

An intellectual property lawyer also assesses the quality of the assets. They will also look at the number of assets licensed under your name or your business in Baltimore, MD. This evaluation can help to maximize the entire value of all intangible assets that your company has.

Are you ready to tap into our network of Baltimore copyright attorneys  that can guide you through every step? We can even help you connect with an attorney across Maryland state lines. 

Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!

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