The term intellectual property (IP) describes distinct types of creations of the human intellect for which property rights are recognized. Intellectual property is a grant of exclusive rights protecting a variety of intangible assets, such as musical, literary, and artistic works; discoveries and inventions; and words, phrases, symbols, and designs. Common types of intellectual property include copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets.
Protecting Your Intellectual Property
At Karr Tuttle Campbell, our team is committed to seeing that your intellectual property is properly protected – that you, not others, benefit commercially from your creativity and hard work.
Because intellectual property needs are unique, a one-size-fits-all method won’t work to determine whether your invention or creation should be protected or how to safeguard it. When we meet with you, we carefully review your needs. We then use that information to design a customized legal strategy that will be the most cost-effective and beneficial way to preserve your IP rights. Whether that strategy involves patents, trademarks, copyrights, or trade secrets, our clients’ best interest is what guides our work at Karr Tuttle Campbell.
Help for Businesses and Entrepreneurs
It is essential that you take every possible step to protect the ideas that set your business apart from the competition. We are here to inform you and guide you through such issues as licensing, franchising, contracts, and more. We have experience with issues faced by all types of businesses, including technology companies, restaurants, real estate investment firms, landscapers – the list is as varied as it is long.
Help for Artists
Graphic designers, painters, photographers, musicians, authors, and other creative professionals have one thing in common: Despite the diverse media in which they practice, their creations are unique and valuable. We are here to help you protect your creation. Our team knows how much hard work went into your expression. We help you protect the value of the time, effort, and energy you exerted in creating your work of art by advising you on how to keep you IP safe and how to maximize its value.
Help for Inventors
From innovations that will help solve today’s most pressing problems to distinctive solutions to everyday challenges that people face, inventions add great value to society. Karr Tuttle Campbell attorneys help you retain the value of your invention for your business. We work with you to design a plan that maximizes the benefit you derive from all the research and effort you have invested in your creation.
Licensing
A license agreement grants another the right to use your intellectual property, usually in exchange for money. The agreement must be negotiated and put into writing. We will work with you to review the details of the agreement, make sure its terms are fit your situation, and ensure that your interests and rights are protected.
The way that a licensee treats your licensed intellectual property is just as important as the obvious financial consequences of the licensing agreement itself. We will work to ensure that your trademark, trade secret, patent, or copyright is treated in a manner that does not decrease its value. In fact, we will take great care to guide you into agreements that can serve to increase the value of your intellectual property, with the goal of leading to additional licensing deals.
Should the licensee not treat your intellectual property with the level of care that is agreed upon, we will seek to resolve the matter swiftly, to prevent any harm to your valuable intellectual assets. We will make every effort to see that you succeed.
