SHIELDING YOUR CREATIVE WORKS
Copyrights protect the original expression of ideas – not the idea itself, not a title, not a short phrase. In general, a copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years. If you ever want to enforce your copyrights, register them without delay with the U.S. Copyright Office (www.copyright.gov). Registration is inexpensive and offers important benefits, including the right to sue an infringer for copyright infringement.
If you register your copyright within 90 days of publishing your work, you’ll be able to sue for “statutory damages” of as much as $150,000 per infringement. Statutory damages encourage settlement and save you a ton in legal fees by simplifying your infringement case and increasing the risk for the other side.
More and more, companies need guidance on copyright law, though they don’t always realize it until they receive a takedown notice or a cease & desist letter or discover that someone has copied their original work.
Takedowns and Trolls: Do you actually own the rights to use the images, text, and other media on your website? Do you really own the rights to the photos or graphics you paid for? Did you know that just because you paid for it doesn’t mean it’s “work for hire” under the Copyright Act? Let us help you avoid and respond to copyright trolls demanding money for your use of their images.
Protection and Enforcement: Have you discovered that someone has copied your original work and is using it without your permission? Have you been sued for copyright infringement over some misunderstanding, or do you want to sue someone for copyright infringement? IP Works has successfully resolved copyright infringement cases on both sides. In some cases we obtain a resolution early in the case, saving the client money, time and energy, better spent growing their business.
Whether your case settles early or goes through trial, we are here to guide you and keep your goals in mind at every step. We are ready, willing, and able to fight for you, working with our network of local litigation counsel across the country.
We keep clients safe from copyright trolls and ensure they get the rights they need for their business.
