Monday, January 20, 2014

What Is Intellectual Property?

By Maryl Joop


There are times in many lives where a lawyer becomes absolutely necessary. This may be because of an accident, a law suit, or even a criminal investigation, but whatever reason you need a lawyer for, finding a good one is a top priority.

This consequence was that any idea or product that had been written by him or his writers for his show was under patent as a property of NBC, not Conan O'Brien. Therefore, once he left the network, he would be under contract and law to never use the same jokes again, despite the fact that he wrote them.

This is called "intellectual property." Though NBC was within their rights to restrict Conan from ever using his trademark phrases and jokes, many were upset about it. It was the intellectual property of NBC and therefore would not be used again by Conan. Luckily, he was able to jump on his feet and get a different job on a different network, going in a different direction with different jokes.

Because of this experience, it has become more obvious to some that they need to protect their intellectual property so it's not taken away from them like it was from Conan O'Brien. In order to protect your property, you have to know exactly what intellectual property (IP) entails.

This is a secret that is protected as it gives a company or individual a comparative advantage in an industry. It gives you the right to exclude others from doing what you have invented. It doesn't give you a right to practice or build what you have protected. For instance, you may have a patent on a fuel injector that increases gas mileage. This does not necessarily mean that you have a right to build a whole car with this injector because you don't have a patent on the car. This is an improvement patent and is much more narrow.

Once you have found a few different options, you should vet them all carefully. This means that you should have a consultation with these lawyers to ask them questions and find out if they are a good fit. Because you may be working with your lawyer for an extended period of time, it is important that you find one you can feel comfortable with.

During this consultation, you have the opportunity to ask many questions to make sure that they are a good fit for you and your situation. Don't be afraid to ask them who you will be working with, how they would like to pay, and what credentials and experience they have. If you understand how they will be working for you and their expectations, you will be able to make the decision much more easily.

They are much more common than you might think and can be rather complicated. If you do not want to end up on the wrong side of a raw deal, get the professional help that you need from Kirton McConkie. There is no one better within the greater Salt Lake area to help you claim your right to your intellectual property. You can feel safe with your intellectual property in their hands.

Keep yourself aware of all the things you may create that can be taken away from you and make the necessary precautions so you don't end up losing them like Conan O'Brien did.




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