Intellectual property is a cornerstone of American trade and business. When you create an idea, product, or piece of art, intellectual property law allows you to protect it and claim your work as your own. Without this ability, others could steal your work, and you would have no grounds to recover what you created. Intellectual property is a large category of the legal system, but it is easily misunderstood. Whether you are an entrepreneur, designer, artist, or business employee, it is important to know how to navigate intellectual property. This understanding can help you to protect your ideas and ensure [...]

When you own or run a business, there are many ways you can protect your work. Whether you install security cameras, buy advanced insurance coverage, or do background checks on employees, you are constantly protecting your company and the work that you do. Legally designating your intellectual property is one of the best ways for you to protect your company and your hard work. By claiming your work as your own, you can make sure that you have grounds to take legal action if someone else steals your idea or any other protected aspect of your business. Without legal protections, [...]

Whether you are an entrepreneur, business manager, or are simply passionate about your work, it’s easy to feel protective of the work you do. Many people wish to receive the appropriate accolades and praise for their work, and it can be disheartening when someone else receives the credit that you deserve. Though there are some situations like this that are simply part of life, there are others that allow you to take action in support of your work. Intellectual property infringement, or IP infringement, is one situation that warrants legal action. However, it can be difficult to know when you [...]

In yet another case of alleged copyright infringement, three artists filed a claim on March 4, 2022 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against superstars Sam Smith and Normani for purportedly copying elements from the trio’s song “Dancing With a Stranger”. Songwriters Jordan Vincent, Christopher Miranda, and Rosco Banlaoi claim Smith and Normani’s 2019 multi-platinum hit of the same name is “nearly identical” and “strikingly similar” to a song they published on Vincent’s YouTube and Spotify channels in 2017. Along with sharing the same name, the plaintiffs allege that the chorus and composition of [...]

Dua Lipa was sued twice in the same week of March 2022 for her hit single, “Levitating”. The first suit was filed on March 1, 2022 by Florida reggae band Artikal Sound System in U.S. District Court in California. In the complaint, Artikal Sound claims that Lipa and her label Warner Records, Inc. stole the chorus from their little known 2017 song “Live Your Life.” The complaint is short on detail, asserting simply that “Levitating” is so similar to “Live Your Life” that it was “highly unlikely that ‘Levitating’ was created independently.” A copyright infringement action depends upon whether the [...]