Intellectual property is a complicated industry. If you are looking to dive into the wonderful world of intellectual property, you will want to be sure to speak with an Arizona ip attorney to help you through the process.
What is Intellectual Property?
Intellectual property is defined as a piece of work or an invention that was created such as a design, where someone has rights. This includes trademarks, patents and copyrights.
What is a Trademark?
A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol, design or combination of these things that identifies the source of goods of one party from others, like their competitors. An individual, business organization, or even a legal entity can be the owner of a trademark. Trademarks are recognized by a symbol and the symbol can be displayed on products, packages, labels or vouchers. In fact, most trademarks are even on display on company buildings. There is actually no expiration date of a trademark. However, keep in mind that every 10 years, the owner of a trademark must file an affidavit proving that the trademark is still in use. If this is not done, the trademark registration is cancelled.
What is a Patent?
The United States Patent and Trademark Office defines a patent for an invention as a grant of property rights to the inventor. It gives the right to exclude others from making, using or selling the invention. However, this must be forced by the patentee. The length of the patent is determined by the type of patent. A design patent will likely have a lifetime of either 14 or 15 years from the date that the patent is granted. This number of years depends on when the patent was filed. A utility patent, the most common type of patent, has a lifetime of 20 years from the earliest filing date. However, if you have more than one filing date, this lifetime can get complicated.
What is a Copyright?
A copyright is a legal right that grants the creation of an original work and gives the exclusive right for its use and distribution. This is applicable to certain forms of creative work and is a little clearer cut than a trademark. Copyrights help protect the rights of the people who created dramatic, musical, literary and artistic works. The duration of a copyright lasts the life of the author or creator of the material plus an additional 70 years.
Why Use an Intellectual Property Attorney?
Whether you are filing a trademark, patent or copyright, you will want to work with an attorney who specializes in intellectual property. They are well-versed when it comes to intellectual property and have the experience to help you successfully file to protect your invention. On top of assisting with applying for a trademark, patent or copyright, an intellectual attorney will also be there to assist you with infringements and other issues surrounding your invention.
Parsons & Goltry
With over 50 years of experience, the intellectual property attorneys at Parsons & Goltry are your go-to legal team for all things trademarks, patents and copyrights. The legal team has helped a significant number of intellectual property applications receive approval and also help assist in a number of intellectual property disputes. For the best ip attorney Scottsdale, contact the skilled attorneys at Parsons & Goltry.
