Monthly Archives: March 2010

The Benefits of Trademark Registration

Trademark registration is not a quick and simple process. Instead, trademark registration can take months or even years. Trademark registration can also be extremely expensive. There are several steps to trademark registration and any individual or business looking to obtain a registered trademark should educate themselves with the process before starting it. A registered trademark can be widely used by individuals and businesses in order to identify themselves, their products, their service or all of the above. Although it is an expensive process and can be difficult, there are a plethora of examples that prove it can be worth the time and money. • A registered trademark can be a big reason for a company’s success. This is especially true with companies that either sell food and beverages in a retail environment or in restaurants. The Pepsi, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, and Gatorade logos are all great examples of how powerful a registered trademark can be. • The entertainment industry is probably the best example of the how a registered trademark can attract people to the owner’s purpose. Most successful band have a logo that identifies the band. These logos are usually registered trademarks and … Continue reading

How To Become A Trademark Lawyer

In order to become a trademark Lawyer, one must prepare themselves for a long grueling process. Trademark lawyers require lots of schooling and extensive research and studying outside of school. Once a trademark lawyer graduates from law school, it will most likely be a long time before they can acquire a position at a prestigious law firm. Being a trademark lawyer can involve many negative aspects. However, trademark lawyers receive many benefits. • Aspiring trademark must attend college. While the specific college attended may not prevent an individual from become a trademark lawyer, the better the college, the better the chances are for the aspiring trademark lawyer to be accepted at a prestigious law firm. Most trademark lawyers majored in business, marketing or other related fields in college. So it is suggested that aspiring trademark lawyers do study in these fields. After college, people seeking to be trademark lawyers must go to law school. In order to get into law school, an individual must take the Law School Admission Test or LSAT. Law schools accept applicants based on their grade point average from college as well as their LSAT score. Other extra curricular activities and achievements can … Continue reading

Trademark Attorneys

All businesses who have a registered trademark or are seeking to obtain one should have a trademark Lawyer Trademark attorneys are a necessity to any individual, business and legal organizations. If a trademark has been obtained with out a trademark attorney, it is in the best interest of the party to hire a trademark attorney immediately. If a party is seeking to acquire a trademark, a trademark attorney will make the process much smoother and easier. Trademark attorneys have studied trademark law extensively and are experts in the field. • Trademark Attorney go to law school just like any other type of attorney. Also like other attorneys, it is difficult for trademark attorneys to get a position at a well established law firm right after they graduate law school. Many trademark attorneys will go through further extensive studying to learn more about trademark and copyright law. • A trademark attorney will work with their clients in order to suggest and select what the trademarks will be. The trademark attorneys will then file and peruse the application in order to receive a registered trademark. A trademark attorney will also coach their client and advise where and when … Continue reading

Software Copyright Laws

Since computer programs are relatively new, software copyright laws are still often being changed and reformed. Today there are millions of different types of computer programs and software that have many different functions. Software can help users obtain music, protect them from viruses, access the internet and many other beneficial services. With the constant advances of computer programs, many people feel that the software copyright laws are either not strict enough or that they are just not being enforced. In the mid seventies an organization was created, called The Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyrighted Works. Their main focus is to enforce all copyright laws especially software copyright laws. The commission was formed because at the time, it was obvious that computer programs had no real regulations or protections. The President and congress knew that there was a need for software copyright laws. Computer software was new at the time. So not only was there a need to protect names of software, but software copyright laws were needed to protect characteristics of individual software as well as specific unique functions. In the early eighties, The House of Representatives and The Senate worked together to add “computer … Continue reading

Music Copyright Laws Can Hurt Musicians

In the United States, music copyright laws are in place to protect the author of the music. Music copyright laws are intended to prevent people or companies from stealing and using music that is not theirs. However, the author of a piece of music defined by music copyright law may not be the real author. This happens when record companies abuse the music copyright laws and manipulate musicians. History tells us that music copyright laws protect the record companies more than they protect musicians themselves. Popular established record companies such as Virgin Records, Sony, Elektra and Legacy are known to abide by music copyright law. However, there are many smaller record companies that use music copyright law to their advantage in order to manipulate musicians. There are thousands of unsigned bands in the United States that have been together for a long time and continue to work hard even though they have never received a record contract. It is these bands that the smaller record companies look for; frustrated musicians who are just looking for a break. The record company will pick a band that they feel can produce successful songs. They will then offer the band a record contract … Continue reading

The President and Copyright Law

Ever since February of 2007 when he made the announcement that he was running for President of The United States, Barack Obama’s name and face have been put on almost every product imaginable. Originally it was Barack Obama’s own campaign that would sell typical items, such as pins and posters in order to raise money. However, towards the end of the democratic primaries in mid 2008, the battle to win the party’s nomination made Barack Obama a household name. Pins and posters quickly turned into more unusual products such as Chia Pets, his own cereal, pajamas and even a new Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavor. The amount of Obama products that companies were selling was unprecedented compared to any other item they have sold. When Barack Obama was elected President of The United States, sales went even further through the roof. It was around this time that lawyers and other staff members on The President’s team started raising concerns and questions about the US copyright laws. This raises questions about copyright laws. • If a celebrity’s face is used on products that are sold to the public, they will demand and in most cases receive royalties. Royalties are benefits … Continue reading

Barack Obama’s Reform on Patent Laws

Even before Barack Obama was elected as the forty fourth President of The United States, he had a focused and cohesive plan to reform this country’s patent laws. The patent laws that are in place now are good in theory, however, the lack of enforcement of the current patent laws is creating a problem for many American inventors. There has been a major push for reform of the patent laws for years. Unfortunately, few president have chosen to concern themselves with the matter. President Barack Obama sees reform of current patent law as an encouragement to American innovation. • Advancements of technology have been unprecedented in recent years and President Obama wants to inspire American citizens to keep this going. Current patent law gives inventors the rights to their own inventions in the country in which they reside. International agreements suggest that patents should be recognized in most other countries. However, there have been many issues of foreign countries not enforcing patent law. For those who’s inventions or ideas covered by patent law have been stolen, legal action can be taken. The problem lies in the process of receiving justice in this situation. What President Barack Obama is trying to … Continue reading

Barack Obama’s Many Trademarks

Trademark characteristics of a political figure can be very important during elections. Negative trademarks and mannerisms can steer voters away from a candidate. There are many people who believe that the trademark characteristics of Barack Obama helped him get elected to President of The United States. These trademarks included several quotes and slogans as well as trademark facial expressions and other mannerisms. These trademarks gave Barack Obama an extremely positive aura that made so many American citizens go crazy simply over his presence and existence. Obama supporters became similar to fans of the rock band Beatles in terms of people screaming, crying and in many cases passing out just because they were seeing him live and in person. • Whoever was responsible for creating slogans for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign delivered several that are still being used a year and three months after he won the election. “Yes we can” is arguably one of the best political campaign slogans of all time. At the time of the presidential race, our country was and still is involved with two wars, we were in the worst recession since the great depression and unemployment numbers were rising quickly. The trademark slogan inspired Americans … Continue reading

How To Patent An Idea

Ever since President Barack Obama started pushing for patent law reform, there has been an increase of American citizens who want to know how to patent an idea and get involved with the patent application process. The patent application process can take a long time and is extremely expensive. The best way to find out how to patent idea, is to search online for official patent application information from government websites. In recent years, many inventors have become discouraged at the lack of regulation and enforcement of patent laws and treaties. There have been several cases of people from foreign countries steeling or copying American ideas and inventions. However, President Obama’s plan for reform has raised the hopes of Americans that innovation and advancement of technology and science will continue in this country the way it should. To those who want to know how to patent an idea, the process itself is rather simple. However, a “good idea” may not always be successful in the patent application process. Unfortunately, what many people don’t know about how to patent an idea is that those who do not have at least $2,700, will not go far in the patent application process. For … Continue reading

Do Internet Copyright Laws Exist?

The internet has gone through many major advancements in recent years. In the age of Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and blogs the internet is a source for endless information and constant instant communication. Websites quickly went from being owned only by established businesses to virtually anyone who wanted one. With all this personal work, many have been asking questions about internet copyright laws. Do internet copyright laws exist? The answer to that question is yes, internet copyright laws do exist and they are very clear and simple. However, it is a very difficult task to keep an eye on the millions, possibly billions of websites that exist on the internet. Since most people are not aware of the internet copyright laws, there is one huge misconception about internet copyright law. Many people believe that if a certain piece of work or image does not have a copyright mark or is not listed as being copyrighted, it is not copyrighted. This is not true. Internet copyright law suggests that everything on an original website is copyrighted and is protected by internet copyright law. It is possible and rather likely that people are breaking internet copyright law on a daily basis. Especially … Continue reading