Copyright Law in Columbia, SC

Did you know the Columbia Chamber of Commerce offers award-winning help to local entrepreneurs?

While this is a fortunate resource for locals, other business concerns can pile up quickly. Whether you launched your enterprise recently or long ago, copyrights and trademarks can be a notable concern. After all, the application process is not simple, and patent trolls are an ever-expanding problem. Thankfully, you can start planning your next steps through the information we’ve gathered in this article.

What Is Copyright Registration?

Copyright registration offers the author of a piece of work in Columbia, South Carolina 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 Columbia, SC 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 Columbia, SC business people and brand owners often trademark:

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

Registering a trademark means applying to the South Carolina Secretary of State. Generally, a Columbia based business will have already registered with the USPTO. The motivation for pursuing federal protection first is it provides the broadest protection.

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

Businesses from Columbia can monitor their application status using the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval System. Due to an increase in volume, users have reported their information didn’t appear for six to eight months.

However, the general estimate from start to registration is one year to eighteen months. A few tips from the USPTO that can help you sidestep delays are:

• Don’t attach a separate explanation when you reply to office actions

• Ask the examining attorney to create amendments for minor changes

• Always ensure that you include the International Class when the ID Manual isn’t an option

• Respond promptly to get through the execution phase more efficiently

Normally, pursuing copyright for a work you’ve created doesn’t take as long. The U.S. government states that they handle applications in 3.6 months on average.

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

The value of your Columbia, SC 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 Columbia, South Carolina 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 Columbia, SC 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 Columbia, SC. 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 Columbia copyright attorneys  that can guide you through every step? We can even help you connect with an attorney across South Carolina 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!