Copyright Law in Columbus, OH

Do you believe your products or services could make you one of the most successful companies in Columbus?

WCMH reports the largest private employers in central Ohio are JPMorgan Chase, Nationwide, and Honda. You don’t reach this level of accomplishment in the area without creating a sizable IP portfolio.

Do you need to know how to get started with an application for a copyright or trademark? Are you in need of a local attorney to protect your interests? Find out how to get started by reading this article today.

What Is Copyright Registration?

Copyright registration offers the author of a piece of work in Columbus, Ohio 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 Columbus, OH 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 Columbus, OH business people and brand owners often trademark:

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

The Ohio Secretary of State publishes a guide to registering a trademark for entrepreneurs. The current filing fee is $125 for registration and $25 for renewal. A business owner in Columbus can also choose to pay for one of these expedited services:

  • Level 1: $100 fee for a 2-day turnaround
  • Level 2: $200 for one business day
  • Level 3: $300 for a response within 4 hours

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

Setting expectations for how long it takes to register a trademark starts with USPTO estimates. Presently, business owners in Columbus can assume a one-year to eighteen-month wait. The result is that applicants face regular disappointment after checking their application status.

Consider the current processing wait times published by the government as an example. As of May 2022, the first office action doesn’t happen for eight months. Moreover, the final approval or rejection happens in about 13 months.

As for copyrights, data collected from the U.S. Copyright Office averages a 3.6-month processing time. The key to getting through as fast as possible involves reducing the amount of correspondence. The more mistakes or omissions, the longer the process will go.

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

The value of your Columbus, OH 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 Columbus, Ohio 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 Columbus, OH 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 Columbus, OH. 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 Columbus copyright attorneys  that can guide you through every step? We can even help you connect with an attorney across Ohio 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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