27-May-10 1:00 PM CST

Intellectual Property Law - What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

The term “intellectual property” is often bandied about without full understanding of its meaning or implications. Strictly speaking, intellectual property is any intangible asset that consists of human knowledge and ideas. These assets, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights, have been estimated to comprise 45-to-75 percent of Fortune 500 companies’ wealth; and according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the total value of intellectual property in the United States is more than five trillion dollars.

With statistics like these, it is not surprising that companies are aggressively seeking to protect and expand their intellectual properties, and individuals should be doing the same. Have you ever...

· Cut and paste something off the internet to use in a training session?

· Used a video or song as part of a training program?

· Altered a photo or logo?

· Mirrored someone else's branding (logo, color scheme, catch phrase) just to add a little creative twist?

· Signed a non-compete agreement?

· Unknowingly signed away ownership of your intellectual property to a company or another individual?

· Created an original work and seen it used by others without credit to you?

These are just a few common situations you may encounter. A meaningful understanding of intellectual property will help protect you from liability and maximize your professional potential. During the June 18th program entitled "Intellectual Property Law - What You Don't Know Can Hurt You," you will learn the basic steps to protecting your intellectual property as well as how to avoid pitfalls when making use of others' works. To learn more or to register, please visit this link.

Joshua Jones, Principal

Law Office of Joshua Jones

An Entertainment and Intellectual Property Defense Firm