Intellectual Property

Federal and state laws are written to protect creative property (art, writing, music, drawings, paintings, photography, films, etc.). Intellectual property is law that works to uphold copyrights, trademark, and patent laws. Each of these has its own unique language dealing with the use and misuse of peoples' intellectual property.

• Copyright: Federal and State copyright laws governs creative works such as original paintings, writing, architecture, movies, software, photos, dance, music, and more.
   
• Trademark: A body of law protecting brand names.
   
• Right of Publicity: While the extent of this protection varies from state to state, it is used to protect names of people or their images from commercial use without permission.
   
• Trade Secrets: Consist of Federal or State laws that helps businesses protect their internal processes, plans, marketing strategies, etc., from disclosure.
   
• Right of Privacy: Law protecting individuals’ privacy.