Copyright Law in Salt Lake City, UT

Creatives in Salt Lake City deserve the full credit for the intellectual property they create. But to get this full credit you’ll need protection so that an individual or business entity cannot infringe upon your rights and use your creative property. Trademarks can protect both your property, and prevent the consumer from being misled. To correctly file your trademark application, you may want to seek out an experienced Salt Lake City copyright attorney.

What Is Copyright Registration?

Copyright registration offers the author of a piece of work in Salt Lake City, Utah 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 Salt Lake City, UT 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 Salt Lake City, UT business people and brand owners often trademark:

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

Research is incredibly important when you go to file your trademark application in Salt Lake City. The Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code provides an online system to help you in this process. By utilizing the trademark managing system, you can research if your mark already exists in some fashion. You can enter keywords and phrases, as well as licensing numbers or registrants.

Once you have cleared the research phase, you’ll need to file an application online by creating a business profile. You need to identify the registrant, and provide detailed drawings of the mark you intend to register. As well, you have to provide multiple examples using the mark in conjunction with the goods and services that you provide.

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

The Utah Department of Commerce states that your trademark application can go through the initial filing steps within a period of 7 days. However, receiving full trademark protection takes much longer. In fact, according to the USPTO, any trademark being filed at the federal level has the potential to be anywhere from 12 months to 18 months before full protection is granted. Still, you want to make sure to protect yourself as much as possible, should anyone infringe upon your intellectual property.

Many entrepreneurs could wait as long as 18 months to receive their full trademark protection, according to the USPTO. This is due not only to the backlog of applications filed, but the fact that many applications encounter lengthy processes because of mistakes when filing. If you encounter such a situation, you may want to seek the services of an experienced copyright attorney in Salt Lake City. He or she can help you enforce your rights.

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

The value of your Salt Lake City, UT 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 Salt Lake City, Utah 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 Salt Lake City, UT 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 Salt Lake City, UT. 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 Salt Lake City copyright attorneys  that can guide you through every step? We can even help you connect with an attorney across Utah 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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