Is it Infringement? Common Trademark Misconceptions
There are a lot of common misconceptions about what qualifies as true trademark infringement. But the reality is that U.S. trademark law is highly nuanced and governed by both state and federal laws, making it sometimes murky to determine the full scope of trademark protections. At the federal level, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office […]
Christmas: An Intellectual Property Nightmare
Holiday joy can quickly become a season of headache and contention for brands and companies when it comes to intellectual property. Many of the iconic symbols, songs, and caricatures that dominate the season are so widely used and recognizable that they are extremely difficult to claim ownership of definitively. Think of the numerous versions of […]
Copyrights & Trademarks 101: What is Protected and Where?
The terms “copyright” and “trademark” are thrown around a lot when people talk about intellectual property protections, but many people either get them confused or don’t have a full understanding of what their protections entail. Both are distinct forms of intellectual property protection, and protect very specific, and different, things. In this copyrights & trademarks […]
RICO and Trade Secret Law: What Businesses Must Know
In 1970, when Congress passed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), most Americans were familiar with the famous movie mobster Rico Bandello from the film Little Caesar, one of the first “talkies” ever made. The Act was cleverly named after the mobster and was initially used to weaken the Gambino crime family. In […]
Trade Secrets and NDAs: What to Know
Businesses risk a great deal when they share their trade secrets with employees or other individuals and entities—like franchises, business partners, or potential buyers. These trade secrets can be the lifeblood of a company. What happens if one of those individuals or entities walks away with a client list, a secret recipe, or a cutting-edge […]
Biggest Intellectual Property Issues Facing Small Businesses Today
Small and medium-sized businesses make up the majority of companies in America today. Their work is critical to the economy, but they often lack the means—including the time, resources, and knowledge—to protect it. If you’re a small business leader, it’s critical not to overlook your business’s intellectual property (IP). Your business needs to protect its […]
Intellectual Property Protection in the Gig Economy
Working remotely, the gig economy, and contract work is increasing exponentially. Companies from many different business sectors are all filling in labor gaps with gig or contract workers. Many of them perform their contracted duties remotely. While this is convenient for both the company and the contractor, it opens the door to many business risks. One of the most […]
Protect Your Business from Internal and External Cyberattacks: 3 Practices to Implement Today
No matter what kind of Colorado business you own, you have valuable information you need to protect whether you realize it or not. Frequently referred to as intellectual property (IP), this information could be anything from customer lists to the secret formula for your cleaning products or anything in between. If another person or party were to […]
5 Steps to Secure Your Business Trade Secrets
Your Colorado business may not be on par with Coca-Cola, Krispy Kreme, or the New York Time’s Best Seller List, but that does not mean you do not have valuable business information to protect. Today, most businesses have the information they need to keep under wraps from client lists and overhead to proprietary software or recipes. Suppose a business owner does not take reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality of specific […]
Confidential Information Regarding Clients in a Dynamic Internet Database Can Be Trade Secrets and Support a Nonsolicitation Agreement
In a recent Colorado case involving a debt collection agency that stored customer service information in a password protected web database, the Colorado Court of Appeals upheld the enforcement of claims for misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of a nonsolicitation agreement against a independent sales agent who left to work for a competitor. The […]