What should I know about trademarks and intellectual property?

When it comes to trademark and intellectual property law in Michigan, there are a few key things to know. Intellectual property (IP) is an important asset for small businesses, and it includes trademarks, trade secrets, patents, and copyrights. Trademarks are words, names, symbols, or devices that identify and distinguish the source of a product or service. A trademark can include logos, slogans, or phrases used to distinguish a company’s products or services. A trademark can be registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), which grants exclusive rights to the trademark holder for 10 years. It is important to properly register a trademark in order to legally protect your business’s intangible assets. In addition, there are other forms of IP such as copyrights which protect original works of authorship, including literary, artistic, and musical works. Copyright protection for original works lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years. Patents protect inventions, products, machines, articles, or processes that are novel, useful, and non-obvious. Patent protection lasts for 20 years from the date of filing. Trade secrets are another form of IP and are information that is kept confidential and used to give a business a competitive advantage. It is important for small businesses in Michigan to understand and protect their IP rights. This can include seeking legal advice to help with filing patent or trademark applications, protecting trade secrets, and registering copyrights. Failure to properly register or protect IP can have significant legal consequences and put a small business in a vulnerable position.

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What should I know about trademarks and intellectual property?

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