Design & Copyright

What else you might like to know about Design & Copyright

If your business wishes to protect intellectual property, a legal service provider is well placed to provide advice and implement the necessary safeguards on your behalf. Here is some basic advice and guidance to inform your choice of legal expert.

What is copyright?

Copyright is designed to protect an original idea recorded by an individual or a company. The copyrighted ‘work’ may be printed, published, performed, filmed or recorded and the copyright owner establishes the exclusive rights to the ‘work’ for a fixed number of years.

What happens if my copyright is being infringed?

If your intellectual property rights are being infringed in any way then it is always best to consult a legal expert as soon as possible. They can make contact with the party that is using your IP, and if that fails to resolve the issue they can help you to proceed through the court system and make a claim.

How do I choose the right legal service provider?

It is worth considering a number of factors when choosing a legal expert to assist you with an intellectual property matter such as copyright infringement. The location, costs and customer reviews received by a legal service provider may all go some way to helping you choose the right representative for you.

What will it cost me to establish legal copyright protection?

Having a solicitor advise upon and put in place the necessary documentation to establish your copyright can often be done on a fixed fee basis. However, if you regularly require support in relation to intellectual property matters, hiring a legal expert on a retainer basis may be a straightforward and cost-effective option.

Who owns copyright, an individual or an employer?

If an employee is tasked with creating a new ‘work’ then they will typically retain the copyright and design rights. If, however, you create the product on your own, or license its use to a third-party, then the copyright belongs to you unless you choose to sell it on.