Intellectual Property Protection

Intellectual property protection, copyright protection or digital rights management is vital for most organisations. In the knowledge economy, often the biggest asset of an organisation is its intellectual property (IP). A lot of money and time goes into creating IP – it must be protected. For example, the rights to a database is often a crucial question. You have to be able to prove ownership and be able to take steps to protect it.  Some require proactive steps, while others are automatic.

We can help you to take action with intellectual property protection in various different ways:

Creation

• Keep your ideas confidential by getting NDA templates to sign with people.

Identification

• Know what IP you have by conducting an IP audit.
• Identify the IP you have by plotting them on an Intellectual Property Grid.

Ownership

• Ensure you own the copyright to works, especially if you are the employer. Does a contractor own IP created by default? Can an employee claim ownership of IP? Does the employer own IP by default? Secure ownership of your IP by drafting (or reviewing) an employment contract (or the relevant clauses in it).
• Transfer ownership of your IP by signing an agreement. Assign, transfer or sell intellectual property from one person to another.
• Decide where in the world your IP should be owned and by whom.
• Draft (or review) an independent contractor agreement, development or assignment agreements that deal with ownership of IP.

Registration

• Protect your copyright. Do I have to do anything to claim copyright?
• Protect your brand by registering a trademark or a domain name.
• Protect your idea by getting a software patent?

Intellectual Property Protection

• Protect your website or other works by getting our help.
• Stop someone from using a domain name that includes your trademark.
• Stop someone from infringing your copyright.
• Get your copyrighted works taken down from someone else’s website.
• Protect your IP by getting our advice on policies and procedures, and drafting an employee exit letter.
• Find answers to your questions by getting a legal opinion on a particular question (like the interpretation of IT contracts or registering a patent for software).

Transferring Intellectual Property Offshore

• Lawfully transfer intellectual property offshore, from one country to another country by getting our advice.