What are Intellectual Property Rights?
Have you got a question?
If you are thinking about starting a business in the UK then you need to consider your intellectual property rights (IPR).
There are several types of IPR and depending on your business you may need to consider getting advice and protection across some or all of these rights. These include:
- Copyright
- Designs
- Trademarks
- Patents
- Trade secrets
Following on from Brexit, if you are planning to open in Europe you may also need advice regarding protecting your IPR.
What is copyright?
Copyright is the legal right of an owner to copy and distribute work. The creator has IPRs if it is original and required judgment or skill.
What sort of things can you copyright?
Often copyright covers the creative arts such as literary, musical and dramatic arts, however also covers IT systems and software.
How do you copyright something?
There is no central database or register for copyright. Therefore, it is best practice to protect the work using the copyright symbol © together with the name of owner and the date. However, should you wish to make a copyright infringement claim then it is best to seek our help early and get in touch.
What are design rights?
The appearance, shape and configuration of a product can be protected by design rights.
How do you protect your design rights?
Although design rights automatically arise it is suggested that you register your designs. Unregistered designs have a shorter duration than those registered through the UK Intellectual Property Office.
What is a trademark?
A trademark is a sign distinguishing protection of your brand whether it is a unique name, logo, symbol, or business brand.
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