Copyright Law in Bellingham, WA

Statista reports that the three most valuable brands in the world are Apple, Amazon, and Google. It’s also no surprise that these giants own and apply for thousands of trademarks or copyrights each year.

Intellectual property can be critical whether you want to conquer the world or take a piece of the pie. Unfortunately, the application process can be problematic without legal counsel. Find out why hiring a trademark or copyright attorney in Bellingham may be a worthwhile investment.

What Is Copyright Registration?

Copyright registration offers the author of a piece of work in Bellingham, Washington 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 Bellingham, WA 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 Bellingham, WA business people and brand owners often trademark:

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

A business owner from Bellingham can register their trademark with the Washington Secretary of State. However, the broadest protections are available through the USPTO. There is a $55 fee for each classification you want to use in the state. You can also pay an additional $50 for expedited service.

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

The trademark process that businesses in Bellingham participate in has six phases. From start to registration, the USPTO anticipates that most cases will take twelve to eighteen months. Novices often make mistakes or omit necessary details that could prevent delays. Some tips from the federal government for expediting the procedures are:

• If you cannot use an identification from the ID Manual, use the International Class

• Do not delay responding to office actions

• Use the dedicated fields in TEAS when answering inquiries

• Resolve routine or mundane issues using informal communication methods

Generally, the U.S. Copyright Office can process applications in far less time than the USPTO. Their average processing time is 3.6 months currently. Most delays on their side happen due to the amount of correspondence that is necessary.

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

The value of your Bellingham, WA 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 Bellingham, Washington 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 Bellingham, WA 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 Bellingham, WA. 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 Bellingham copyright attorneys  that can guide you through every step? We can even help you connect with an attorney across Washington 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!