Startups should be aware of the consequences if your employee steals trade secrets from his former employer. Read about a recent case in Northern California concerning shared ride technology… Plaintiffs UCAR are a large chauffeured car service provider in China. They offer ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft in the U.S. UCAR is working on ride-hailing software and its analysis …
The intellectual property of your startup can be bought and sold, licensed, exchanged, or donated just like other types of property. A sound strategy for the management of your company’s intellectual property rights will prove to be very profitable if you have experienced legal counsel and understand how these different techniques of conveyance are used. Think of conveying your IP …
A startup needs to protect its intellectual property. At the same time, it needs to shield itself from claims of infringement from others for use of works they don’t own. A common situation with the latter is using a work thought to be in the public domain that is in fact protected by copyright. A work in the public domain …
If you’re an entrepreneur, you probably realize the impact that social media can have on a new business. In the past few years, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other platforms have become essential components of startups’ brand awareness, content distribution, lead generation, and customer acquisition strategies. This is especially the case for startups with thin budgets and grassroots campaigns. Even though …
As you begin operations for your startup, you’ll most likely need help with various types of tasks. Your company may need to develop an app for a Smartphone or write instructions for using your products. You also might hire an independent professional to write the content for your website. These scenarios are all examples of possible copyright issues. Many new …
Copyright is protection provided by federal law for “original works of authorship.” This includes literary, dramatic, musical, architectural, cartographic, choreographic, pantomimic, pictorial, graphic, sculptural, and audiovisual creations. The U.S. Copyright Office says that “copyright” means the right to copy, but its definition has come to include a body of exclusive rights granted by law to copyright owners for protection of …
Registered trademarks give your startup the ability to build a unique brand and keep it protected from other companies. A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol, or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of your startup from those of others. For example, when you visit a McDonald’s, you have a good idea what they have on …
President Trump may have to reconsider his assessment of the First Amendment protections if and when his intellectual property rights are threatened. One of such intellectual property rights is the right of publicity. President Trump is, regardless of your viewpoint, a celebrity who, during his Presidency or after he leaves office, will likely capitalize on his right of publicity. The …
It’s not uncommon for a budding entrepreneur to get his or her startup going while keeping their full-time job. Sure, moonlighting has some advantages for individuals looking to ramp up a new company, and in some cases, it’s the only way realistically to get started. However, there are some important considerations for entrepreneurs to bear in mind when choosing to …
You may have done just that. And legally speaking, there’s no such a thing as unintentional or accidental copyright infringement. Even the simple use of a picture that a member of your staff downloaded from the Internet—perhaps even from a “free site”—can create a liability issue for a startup using the copyrighted work without permission. In addition, if you hire …