Your federally registered trademark is your brand’s security system. It gives you the legal power to stop impostors from using a confusingly similar name or
Licensing is when you give someone permission to use your copyrighted, trademarked, patented, or proprietary work in exchange for a fee.
For example, a
Why should you care about protecting your intellectual property? Because your creative work and your name are more than that; they’re the foundation of a
The key to trade secrets and other sensitive information is taking reasonable steps to keep it confidential. That means non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, secure storage,
What does it mean for an invention to be “obvious,” beyond that you can’t get a patent on an invention if it is?
The obviousness
Are you starting a dark and unusual boutique? Is your name… “The Goth Shop”?
You may want to rethink that. Trademarks are meant to identify
Got a killer idea for a horror movie? Great! But here’s a spooky truth: You can’t copyright a mere idea. Copyright only protects the expression
In a horror movie, you think the monster is a werewolf, but it’s just a guy in a hairy suit. The same can be true
A trade secret is any confidential information that gives you a business advantage, like a proprietary makeup formula for your horror-themed clothing and accessories line,
Patents! They sound boring, but for the mad scientists out there, they’re pure gold. Patents protect new, useful, and non-obvious inventions. It’s not for your
What’s spooky? Not knowing the difference between copyright and trademark. Copyright protects the creative work itself. Trademarks protect the brand that sells the work. They
The answer is: the moment you create it. Your original work is protected by copyright the moment you “fix it in a tangible medium,” like
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, consult with a licensed attorney.