Our copyright lawyers stand up for the creators and artists inside and outside the entertainment industry in Pasadena, California statewide, and throughout the country. Protecting your intellectual property rights to your work, including the right to use it, market it, sell it, assign it or license it, and keep others from infringing on it, is essential to your livelihood. Our dedicated copyright lawyers can help you understand the importance of registering your copyrighted work, guide you through the process, help you make the greatest commercial use of your art that you want to, and protect your rights in your copyrighted work.
Copyright Registration
Some people are surprised to learn that registering a copyright is not needed to establish a copyright in the first place. Under federal copyright law, copyright (the exclusive legal right to control your creative work) exists as soon as your work is “fixed in a tangible medium.” The moment you write down your screenplay, record your song, paint your picture, or film your movie, you own the copyright to it. Registration is nevertheless essential to protecting your work from infringement and claims you infringed on the work of others. Registering your work with the U.S. Copyright Office establishes an official date of publication that can be useful in communicating with possible infringers, responding to infringement claims, or in litigation.
Our copyright registration services include supplying guidance and technical assistance throughout the entire process, including:
- Performing due diligence
- Searching the chain of title
- Obtaining clearances, if necessary
Copyright Enforcement
Maintaining your copyright and its value to you requires ongoing vigilance to identify potential infringers and take swift action to protect your rights. Our copyright lawyers take a comprehensive approach to your issue and analyze your situation against all relevant factors, including:
- Comparing works under the “substantial similarity” test
- Analyzing another’s use of your work under the factors that qualify as “fair use.”
- Bringing claims within the applicable statute of limitations
- Requiring innocent infringers to cease and desist.
- Analyzing claims of independent creation
- Negotiating an authorized license or assignment
Copyright Assignments and Licensing
Assigning or licensing your copyrighted material can be an attractive way to benefit and profit from your work, allowing another to market, sell, or distribute your work without fear of infringement, subject to a fee and other favorable terms. Our copyright lawyers take the time to find out what’s important to you, advise you of your options, and negotiate a licensing agreement that meets your needs. Our skilled IP transaction attorneys can take the lead on drafting your agreement or reviewing a document drawn up by another party, ensuring that essential terms such as exclusivity, territory, duration, and fees meet your needs and goals.
Copyright Enforcement and IP Litigation
If you are accused of infringement or believe another party is infringing on your work, a skilled and knowledgeable IP litigator can represent your interests and work to resolve the issue in the most efficient, favorable, and cost-effective manner. From cease and desist letters to preliminary injunctions to courtroom trials for money damages, our team is well-versed in copyright disputes involving literal and non-literal copying, fair use, secondary liability, anti-circumvention, and other common copyright legal issues.
Copyrights and Portfolio Management
Making effective use of copyrights is a powerful part of your IP portfolio. We can help you maximize the value of your portfolio by copyrighting critical information and materials to help you get and keep an edge over your competitors. Careful and comprehensive portfolio management can increase the value of your business for investment, sale, or financing, as well as help you fend off competitors from entering your space.
Contact The Green Firm Today
For help with all your copyright needs, including registration, enforcement, assignments and licensing, litigation, and portfolio management, The Green Firm is your go-to law firm with the legal and practical know-how to advise you and represent you for making the most of your valuable IP. Contact our Pasadena copyright lawyers today.