Copyright

With the rise of the internet, there has been a corresponding rise in copyright infringement.  In addition to well-known copyright issues such as software pirating and music and movie downloading and duplication, the most frequent abuse of copyright laws seems to be the blatant copying of proprietary website content.  Many companies are now including “tells” in their website content that, if copied, amount to clear-cut proof of copyright infringement.  Ask us and we’ll tell you how.

Copyright Infringement Protection

Copyright is a form of legal  protection provided  to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works, such as software and websites. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. The copyright owner generally has the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to:

• • reproduce the work;
  • prepare derivative works;
  • distribute copies or phonorecords of the work by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending;
  • perform the work;
  • display the work; and
  • perform the work publicly (in the case of sound recordings) by means of a digital audio transmission.

Copyright Attorney Services

Copyright is generally obtained upon publication.  For unpublished works, we may need to file an application with the U.S. Copyright Office.  Contact us to clarify whether your work has been “published,” or if you believe you have been the victim of copyright infringement.

We also defend persons accused of copyright infringement.  Contact us to learn whether you may have a defense to the accusation, like the “fair use” doctrine.