Most of us are probably familiar with trademarks on a basic level. We’re familiar with things like copyright because they’re branded across the films we watch, the music we listen to, and more. Essentially, a trademark or copyright is meant to keep the rights to original material in the hands of the creator or the person or company that’s bought the rights. Thanks to trademarks and copyrights, people can’t profit off of material that’s been stolen. In general, they’re supposed to prevent the material from being stolen at all, whether or not it’s profited off of. With that being said, loopholes can easily be found if the trademark holder doesn’t have a good attorney on their side. Artists, inventors, and entrepreneurs deserve legal protection. Without trademarks, their rights can easily be violated — and for that matter, the person violating those rights can profit off of stolen material. Without trademarks, entire businesses can be built upon stolen material, which is not only wrong but prevents the original creator of that material from building a business or profiting even if they are able to recover their material and prove their right to it in a court of law. Below, we’ll look into trademark attorney services and how they can benefit you. The more you understand this complicated part of the legal system, the better you’ll be able to protect your rights.

A Brief History Of Patents

Right now, those working in intellectual property law are dealing with a boom. While many artists and inventors are creating new material that has to be guarded, the Internet is making it easier for that material to be stolen or pirated. Essentially, the Internet has created a vast gray area. Where do copyrights extend? What violates intellectual property laws, and what violates the personal freedoms people are guaranteed? Trademark attorney services are there to help clients sort that out, but the services offered today are very different from those offered in the past decades. Think back to 1790 — back then, the cost to obtain a patent was between $4 and $5. If only that was the case today! Back then, we were dealing with the American Revolution. Now, we’re dealing with the Technological Revolution. It’s believed that from 1998 to 2010, American patent applications have doubled to over 520,000. But with that comes an increase in patent-related lawsuits. Over the last 20 years, the number of patent lawsuits have increased from 500 to nearly 3,000 per year. But how do these patents work? Luckily, you don’t have to be an intellectual property lawyer to understand the basics.

The Basics Of Patents

Now, there are many different types of patents in existence — and the laws surrounding them vary from patent to patent. When it comes to design patents, they usually last 14 years, starting from when the patent is granted. A utility patent on the other hand lasts for 20 years and is measured from the priority application filing date. Copyright protection is also for a limited period of time. Works created after January 1, 1978 have copyrights that last for 70 years following the death of the author. Now, if a work was made “for hire”, the copyright lasts for a term of 95 years from the year of publication or a term of 120 years from the years of its original creation — whichever might expire first. With that being said, patents and copyrights don’t have to necessarily lapse.

Protecting Your Patents And Copyrights

Part of the typical trademark attorney services involve ensuring that your patents and copyrights don’t permanent lapse. It’s important for the relatives of a creator to have trademark attorney services on hand — so that should the creator die, the rights remain firmly held by their loved ones. With that being said, the task of the trademark attorney is not solely financial. People deserve to have the rights to their own intellectual property — this, above all other things, should not be stolen.