Los Angeles Intellectual Property Attorney

As a business, your intellectual property (IP) plays an imperative role in your company’s operation. This makes protecting it absolutely essential. Whether your business came up with a new recipe or your company’s logo is being copied onto products that aren’t yours, it’s important to register your intellectual property as soon as you know it can hold value in your business. If you’re trying to learn more about intellectual property in Los Angeles or need assistance registering yours, The Myers Law Group is prepared to help.

Retaining an attorney with knowledge of intellectual property law can be beneficial throughout your business’s operation. At The Myers Law Group, our staff is comprised of multiple experienced IP lawyers who have helped companies register, enforce, and protect their varying forms of intellectual property. With decades of insight shared between our team, we can work to answer your company’s questions and provide you with the support needed to guard your intellectual property in California. For more information on trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, or patents, reach out to one of our attorneys when you can.

Intellectual property differs from other concrete assets because it is abstract. IP is generally defined as a creation or invention that comes from the human mind. This can involve a collection of concepts, which can include but are not limited to:

• Designs
• Patterns
• Logos
• Recipes
• Inventions
• Mottos and catchphrases
• Literary works, music, art, and films
• Formulas
• Manufacturing processes

Because intellectual property can technically be a concept or idea, it is protected by different laws than physical property. For example, individuals and businesses alike typically gain ownership of something when they purchase it or physically create it for themselves. This then gives them legal rights to that property, such as being able to hold someone accountable in court if they steal it. With intellectual property, however, you must legally register your idea or design with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to hold legal rights over it. This means, for example, if your business didn’t register your logo, you may not be able to file a claim against someone who stole it for their own products.

Intellectual property is divided into four main categories. Each of these categories requires its own registration and provides a business with different rights. If you’re considering registering intellectual property with the USPTO, it’s essential that you understand the difference between the applications you’ll be presented with. The four categories of intellectual property you can apply for in Los Angeles include:

1. Trademarks – Trademarks are ideas that a company uses to set itself apart from its competitors. They can include concepts such as logos, designs, mottos, symbols, images, and more. A trademark is considered to be any design or concept that a business uses to identify itself. Well-known examples of trademarks include Nike’s checkmark logo and their catchphrase “JUST DO IT.” If an individual or business attempts to take a trademarked idea and use it for themselves, they can be charged with trademark infringement in Los Angeles. Trademarks must be renewed every ten years, and their owners must regularly communicate with the USPTO to prove its in use.
2. Patents – While trademarks are used for ideas and designs that help to identify a company, patents are granted explicitly to individuals or businesses who come up with new inventions. Patents are generally used for new products, processes, and pieces of technology. When someone is granted a patent for their idea, they have the sole right to use or distribute their intellectual property how they see fit. This means no one else can attempt to remake, sell, or distribute your product without blatant permission. In most cases, patents last for around 20 years and then cannot be renewed.
3. Copyrights – Copyrights give owners of intellectual property the sole right to copy, sell, and distribute their creations. In most cases, copyrights are used for unique pieces of art like music, paintings, books, films, and more. If intellectual property is protected by copyright, no other individual or business can attempt to resell it as their own or use it without permission. When a copyright is granted, it generally lasts as long as the author is alive, plus an additional 70 years. Unlike other forms of intellectual property, copyrights do not have to be renewed.
4. Trade Secrets – Trade secrets involve confidential pieces of information that provide some sort of economic value to a business. Common trade secrets include recipes, formulas, patterns, and operation processes. If your company has information that you’d like to keep confidential, you should highly consider creating contracts to ensure your employers don’t share it. Trade secrets give you the sole right to use your information and hold individuals accountable who use or sell it without your authorization. One of the most well-kept trade secrets is the recipe for Coca-Cola. Because trade secret rights do not expire, the owner of a trade secret can keep their information confidential as long as they’d like.

By taking the steps necessary to register your intellectual property with the USPTO, you and your business can enjoy benefits such as:

• Sole ownership of your property
• Right to authorize or deny the use of your property
• Right to take legal action against those who infringe on your IP rights
• Sole right to copy, share, distribute, produce, and sell your property
• Protect traits of your company that help it stand out

Intellectual property can be incredibly valuable to a business. That’s why at The Myers Law Group, our attorneys help companies thrive by offering knowledgeable insight into intellectual property law. We strive to offer legal services that can help you protect your property while finding creative solutions to any obstacles that arise. If you’re looking to register, enforce, or renew your intellectual property in Los Angeles, The Myers Law Group is the firm for you. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation with our team.

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