If you own or create a lot of patents and creative works, then you probably want to make money from your ideas. Whatever your idea may be, whether it’s an invention, song, writing, logo or painting, the first thing you need to do if you want to make profit from it is to secure your IP or intellectual property. That means you may have to get a patent, copyright, trademark or whatever can protect your IP depending on what type of work it is. Now, you can do this yourself, in fact some types of IPs, like copyright don’t require registration (though it is encouraged) as it is considered your property as long you thought of it yourself.

Now, other types do require paperwork and this is why many people hire IP lawyer. An intellectual property law firm in Los Angeles can help you register your IP to make sure you retain ownership of it. However, there’s more to it than that. Perhaps the biggest thing that an intellectual property law firm in Los Angeles can help you with is to protect your IP. These days, many unscrupulous people steal other people’s ideas, hoping to make a profit off of it. They copy designs, inventions, and even artwork and music so they can make money without having to pay the owners a fee. That means the original owner is losing out on the profits. If you hire an IP lawyer, they will know what to do in case this happens and ensure that you will get the monetary benefits you deserve from your works.

Often, the importance of understanding intellectual property comes only when a company or organization is faced with a problem or legal undertaking involving it. But just as all other essential aspects of your business, intellectual property is also a critical area that you must learn about.

Problems with such only arise due to lack of knowledge about the local laws, rules and regulations governing this legal area.

Basic Information

Intellectual property (IP) refers to the product of the mind. Just because you purchased a product, it doesn’t mean you already have all the legal rights to use it in any way you can. For instance, if you buy a painting for instance, you basically acquire the right to possess the canvass, the stretcher and the pigments or colors used, but not the right to reproduce it. The owner of that IP (the idea depicted by the painting) still belongs to the artist.

Traditionally, IP is categorized into two – copyright and industrial property. Copyright provides protection for literary artworks such as paintings, drawings, music, novels, articles, books, etc. On the other hand, industrial property covers patents, trademarks, designs, legal and industrial properties, manufactured objects, logos and symbols, menus, and similar things.

To avoid problems, consulting an intellectual property lawyer is necessary. He or she can conduct legal research, analysis and assessment of all your industrial properties to ensure that they are protected from being used, reproduced or obtained by unauthorized people.

Preserving your IP is crucial to your business and an intellectual property lawyer can help you. You really don’t want to see it being used by others to their advantage.

If you create or perhaps own different types of intellectual property, such as patents, logos, songs, or other works of art, then you should really consider having someone manage your catalogue for you. When you have too many IPs to keep track of, then you might have a hard time making sure they are all managed well. Different types of IP will have different requirements and having an intellectual property management firm can help ensure that you are always on top of your IP requirements. Patents, for example, are one of these as these need to be renewed every few years and the requirements change every once in a while too.

Aside from merely keeping track of them, an intellectual property management firm may also be able to help you in other ways. They may also be able to help you make money from them. If you have works of art like music or pictures you can make money selling the rights to them. For example, many TV commercials are always in need of good music or many print ads require pictures. A good IP management firm will be able to advise you on how you can license out your property so it’s making you money. They will know the contacts and where to go to put your works out there and they can put you in touch with people who are willing to pay money for your IP. Such a firm can be an invaluable partner for you or your firm, and they can help you with other IP matters as well.

If you own a lot of intellectual property, like let’s say you’re an inventor with a lot of patents or you own a company that has a lot of artistic works, then have you thought about hiring an IP lawyer? Or perhaps you’ve acquired a lot of IP from buying out another business or as an inheritance. In any case, if you find yourself owning or handling a lot intellectual property, be they artist’s works or logos, songs or patents, an intellectual property lawyer can help you out in many ways.

First, if you have no experience handling such works, then you should hire a lawyer that specializes in IP right away. The first thing they will do is perform an IP audit, which is, they will try and organize all the intellectual property you have and own and try to make sense of it. If you have a list of IP and everything is organized, then great, you may not need an IP audit! However, if you don’t have any experience with IP you will still need a professional. Different types of IP have different needs. Thing like patents and copyrights may have to be renewed or at least registered properly every few years. Then there’s the job of actually having to enforce your IP rights. Of course, your ultimate goal would be to make money from the IP you own. IP lawyers can help you find the best way of making money off your intellectual property through selling them or licensing them.

Patent law firm Los Angeles provide legal support and advice to clients who want to secure their discoveries and inventions. The top patent law firms provide their services to international and national clients and are known by industry professionals such as a United Inventors Association and IP watchdogs.

Finding the right patent firm and patent lawyer is just as necessary as the idea you tend to patent. In most situations, they may appear to be well-informed and can provide the service you want.  However, this is the tricky portion because unless you have utilized them before or they come as referral you do not have a way to know what you are getting into. Thus, involving with the wrong patent law firm might result in patent problem that usually give a bit to secure you ideas you hired them to secure. Accurate and clear claims should always be made to secure narrow to wide utilization of the item needed. A detailed diagrams or power point presentations that support the claims and give context are required. The patent office will search for these terms and will find and try issued patents that might conflict. It is necessary to remember that it is advisable to utilize multiple different terms when illustrating your patented item. When you choose a term to illustrate your item and another company utilizes other terms that means similar thing, your patent might not be found during the patent office search. Thus, developing an organized decision on which you choose as your patent lawyer can give important differences.

Legal issues can be very hard to deal with especially if you lack any background on law. This is why seeking help from professional attorneys is very much recommended even if most legal undertakings can be done without them. If you are undergoing a legal endeavor involving copyright laws, you might consider finding a law firm to help you out.


The question is how?

First off, you want to focus your search on the most reliable and reputable firms in your area. You can ask recommendations from the people you know, such as your family members and relatives, friends, officemates and colleagues. Certainly, some law firms stand out among the rest.

Your goal is to get the best possible resolution for your copyright issue.  A firm staffed with professional and well-experienced lawyers is what you are looking for. Before selecting a firm, conduct a thorough research on the best firms in your area. As much as possible, choose the firm that has been known for their extensive experience in copyright laws.

Next, consider the credentials, qualifications and level of experience of the firm you are dealing with. The Better Business Bureau can guide you in selecting the right firm to deal with. You can also consult your local community legal office for recommendations.

All law firms offer initial consultation. Take the opportunity to know your legal options; especially how the firm can help you resolve your legal concerns. Ask about their rates. You don’t want to be surprised of the fees they will demand for you later. Some firms charge on an hourly basis while others charge on a fixed rate. Some even offer contingency payment plans.

Intellectual property refers to any asset, from an invention to an idea, a book, a novel, and business strategy that you have created. If you want to make sure that nobody uses your intellectual property without your authorization, you may want to consider patent management.

Patent management involves three major processes. These are application, acquisition and maintenance of patents. The management of patents is handled by a professional, usually a lawyer as it involves highly technical procedures. Knowledge of the patent law, as well as the regulations involved in the intellectual property law is necessary when it comes to managing patents.

By having a legitimate professional manage your intellectual property and patents, you enjoy the following benefits:

Updated patent rights
Just as you renew your business permits and all other registrations/memberships, you also need to regularly update your patent status. Once a patent has been issues, you will be required to make periodic payments or the so-called maintenance fees to the US Patent Office. Failure to do so could result to undesirable consequences, such as the loss of your patent rights.

Patent Verification
Sometimes, you will find erroneous information or errors on your patent ownership. Having someone to manage your patent can ensure that such errors are avoided, and that all information is correct.

Consultations
Most providers of patent management services provide exclusive consultations to their clients. It is very beneficial to have a knowledgeable patent manager who can provide prompt and expert advice, recommendations and resolutions to your patent concerns.

Los Angeles has always been the center of entertainment for the US (and some may say, the world). Creative people from everywhere come to LA to become musicians, artists, writers, directors, etc. They make money (and sometimes a LOT of money) from their creative works, which is why people like these needs to be aware of the intellectual property rights. Intellectual property refers to the works of the mind, and the exclusive rights the person who created them has over those works. For example, if a musician writes the lyrics and music to a certain song, than he or she has the exclusive IP rights to them. That means he or she get money when it becomes a single and someone purchases that music. Aside from that, if the song is played somewhere, like a TV show or advertisement, the creator gets a payment for that as well.

How does this all get accomplished? That’s why you need a good intellectual property attorney in Los Angeles. These are the people you can turn to when you want to protect your property. When you want your intellectual property and works protected and ensure you get your share from people making money from it, a good intellectual property attorney in Los Angeles can help you. They can make sure that your rights are enforced through legal actions. Also, if you have a lot of IP in your name, an LA IP lawyer can keep you organized and make sure you don’t miss anything.

A trademark is basically the mark of a particular business that it uses to identify itself, like a brand name, a logo or other distinct markings. Branding is a million dollar business, and many companies do their best to build their brand, which is why they also spend a lot of money protecting it. While some people may not care about protecting their trademark or brand, think of it this way: let’s say you spent half your life building a company. You put your blood, sweat, and tears into it and finally after sometime, you’re making money and you’ve become so successful that people recognize your logo. What if a new player comes into the same business and begins using your logo? You lose out on business, or worse, if they make substandard products, people will think your business is the one making these bad products.

That’s why you should always protect your property and your brand. That’s why you need a trademark lawyer in Los Angeles. A lawyer can help you protect your property through different channels. Aside from getting your trademark registered, a good trademark lawyer in Los Angeles can help you enforce your trademark. That means if other people were to use your trademark illegally, they will know what to do to make them stop. When you hire a lawyer to do this work for you, you won’t have to worry about anything or have to do the legwork yourself. These people will have the knowledge and experience necessary to make sure your rights are protected.

If you are planning on registering a trademark or think that your trademark has been wrongly used you might want to find the legal advice of trademark lawyers Los Angeles that are experts in dealing with intellectual property law or trademark law. The trademark process is somehow difficult and lengthy, so consulting with an expert can be a great option. Most individuals can register on the trademark form by themselves. However because of the legal excuses they might not register it correctly. Certainly, only because you have filled out a trademark that doesn’t mean that it is legally sound or necessarily valid. Common errors in trademark registration can cause difficulties with your rights into it or becomes invalid. Therefore, it is highly suggested to hire someone who specialized on what they are doing.

A well trained, certified professional lawyer will determine how you must establish your trademark and which particular version of your product must be registered. Also, there are several different factors to consider like whether to register your product as a design mark, text mark or any other arrangement of choices. The manner you register your brand verifies which types of intellectual rights you will obtained. Attorneys who specialize in intellectual property law will also inform you how to register your trademark or whether to start under a business’s name or your name. Another important factor of trademark process is whether or not that brand before now exists. If you are producing a new brand you must check in whether or not something similar before now exists.