Your Intellectual Property Lawyer And Help With Your Copyright

Intellectual Property (which is also known as IP) is a highly complex area of Law that can be confusing. IP is mainly divided into 4 sections that apply to the protection of different ideas and works, depending on their type.

One of the main recognisable fields is Copyright. What is Copyright, how do you know if your work can be protected by it and how do you get Copyrights? An Intellectual Property Lawyer will be the best person to advise you. Nevertheless, there is no harm in reading up about IP rights before seeing your solicitor so you have some background knowledge?

What can Copyright protect? Is my work protected by Copyright? These are the basic questions you may ask yourself when you first start dealing with Intellectual Property. Copyright protects:

- literature: for example, lyrics, poems, articles, novels and in some cases databases;

- performing arts: eg a dancer or a mime artist;

- art: eg paintings, photography, maps, engravings, designs;

- typographical arrangements and layouts: eg in a published work like a book;

- recordings: eg sound, broadcasts, music, film.

If your creation or work falls into one of these categories, you can be protected by copyright. An Intellectual Property Lawyer will help you with the steps and also to register for other rights your IP might be eligible for.

Once registered, anyone wanting to use or copy your work will have to ask for your permission first. This permission applies to any medium they want to use your Intellectual Property for, including uploading a picture on the internet, making an audio book of your novel, using your song for a performance.

Bear in mind that Copyright does not protect ideas per se. For your idea to be protected it has to be put in writing.

After having your work protected by Copyright, your Intellectual Property Lawyer can discuss with you about any other UK IP rights applicable to your material. For example, if the work is a compilation i.e. like an album, then you might have to apply for individual rights. Talk with your intellectual property lawyer about exactly what rights you may be entitled to and what benefits these will bring in for you.

Getting the right intellectual property advice at an early stage is a simple step but one which could save you a lot of heartache, distress and profit or royalties should your material be stolen or abused by infringement on copying. Talk the issues over with specialist Intellectual Property Lawyer before going ahead with your project to make sure you are fully protected

If you need an experienced Intellectual Property Lawyer (http://www.intellectual-property-lawyer.co.uk ), contact Bonallack & Bishop for specialist intellectual property advice. Senior Partner Tim Bishop is responsible for all major strategic decisions at the firm, which he has grown by 1000% in 13 years. Tim sees himself as a businessman who owns a law firm.