Copyrights

Protecting Your Work with Copyrights

U.S. copyrights protect much more than just the printed word. Copyrights apply to a wide range of artistic expression including books, music, plays, visual images, and photographs. If you have created an image or recorded music, for example, your work may be eligible for U.S. copyright protection. Your work need not have been published or performed.

A U.S. copyright is issued by the U.S. federal government. A copyright gives you exclusive rights to reproduce and sell the work, among other rights, for a certain number of years. That means you alone can distribute and sell the work, or you can allow others to use it under a license.

We obtain copyrights for our clients in jewelry designs, computer software, greeting cards, product catalogs, music, website content, paintings, sketches, sculptures and many other types of creative works of authorship and art.

Comprehensive Copyright Services

Feldman Law Group will discuss your creation and evaluate the best way to protect it. The U.S. Copyright Office decides whether to register a copyright after a careful review of an application (learn more about the process itself at the Copyright Office website).

An experienced guide to help you navigate the complex application process can be invaluable. Feldman Law Group will work with you to understand your creative work and your goals for protecting or sharing your work. Our attorneys will advise you regarding the protections available under copyright and the steps necessary to obtaining copyright protection.

If you decide to seek a copyright, we prepare the application and file it with the U.S. Copyright Office on your behalf. If the Copyright Office has questions about your application, we will respond to their inquiries and support the application throughout the process.

Using Your Copyright

As a copyright holder, you have the exclusive right to use, sell, publish, distribute, or create derivatives of the copyrighted work. You also have the right to license the work to another party. Our lawyers will help you develop a strategy for maximizing the value of your copyright.  We help draft copyright licensing agreements and negotiate terms and restrictions.  If you want to use the copyright exclusively in your own operations, we can help you preserve your rights to exclude others.

Defending Your Copyright

Even with a copyright, others may attempt to steal or misuse your creative work without your permission. If you believe someone is copying your work in a way that violates your rights, we will investigate the situation and develop a strategy for protecting your rights while keeping your bottom line in mind.

Feldman Law Group handles all types of litigation surrounding copyright infringement. Among the services we offer are:

• Cease and desist letters
• Digital Millennium Copyright Act notices
• Motions for search and seizure orders
• Lawsuits in U.S. federal courts

Copyright violations can give rise to substantial damages.  If someone has infringed upon your copyright, our attorneys will outline your options and help you develop a plan of action, keeping in mind the economic and practical considerations of each course of action.  Through research and negotiation, we can determine if settlement is a feasible option.

If you decide to litigate your claim, our lawyers are experienced in the entire litigation process from pretrial planning through pleadings, document discovery, depositions, and trial. No matter what course of action you pursue, we’ll be at your side through the entire process.