Retaining a portfolio of intellectual property is particularly important if you are an entrepreneur setting out on a new business venture. This is because not only may you generate profit from these creative works, but they also may work to establish your brand identity and solidify your standing in the product market. That said, you must obtain official rights over these creative works to protect them from competing infringement activities. Continue reading to learn how to protect your creative works as an entrepreneur and how an experienced Essex County, New Jersey intellectual property lawyer at The Ingber Law Firm can offer sound advisement.
As an entrepreneur, how can I protect my intellectual property rights?
While you are still in the creative stage of developing your intellectual property, you must keep documentation that details every phase or step. This means writing your signature and adding the date to every product sketch you draw, product description you write, service plan you brainstorm, etc. This also means keeping physical copies and thumb drives safely stored away in a location only you can access, along with keeping digital copies behind password protections, encryptions, watermarks, etc.
Then, once your intellectual property is finalized, you must officially register it. This may mean applying for a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or a copyright with the United States Copyright Office. Your detailed documentation may come in handy during this step. Ultimately, registering your intellectual property portfolio may set you apart from your competitors and prevent any potential financially damaging and brand-damaging infringement lawsuits later.
How can I protect my intellectual property among my employees?
You may, without a doubt, trust your employees to keep a secret throughout the creative stage of developing your intellectual property. After all, they may have committed a comparable amount of time and energy into this creative work as you have, thereby not wanting to jeopardize it in any way. However, you can never be too careful during this delicate time. That is, you should ensure that anyone privy to information about your intellectual property is legally bound to keep it private.
This is to say that you should draft legally enforceable confidentiality agreements. When employees sign these agreements, they may be prevented from sharing information about your intellectual property with your competitors. Or better yet, they may be prevented from using this property to start their own business and directly compete against yours.
In conclusion, as an entrepreneur, you undoubtedly understand the importance of investing in your work. Well, investing in intellectual property protections may be one of the smarter business decisions you ever make. So, before it is too late, you must retain the services of a skilled Essex County, New Jersey intellectual property lawyer. Contact our Ingber Law Firm office today.
