Pleasanton Intellectual Property Protection Attorney

California assists businesses with trademarks, copyrights, patents and trade secrets

Garcia & Gurney, A Law Corporation helps businesses and individuals protect their valuable intellectual property (IP), including trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. We help clients make the most use of these assets by negotiating profitable licensing and distribution agreements and by conducting commercial transactions to help them maximize and profit from their property. Based in Pleasanton, we represent businesses throughout the Bay Area and Silicon Valley.

Overview of intellectual property protection

Intellectual property (IP) consists of products of the human mind for which legal protections are recognized. Examples are patents (for inventions), copyrights (for original works of authorship or artistic expression), trademarks and trade secrets. Companies and individuals need to take positive steps to enforce their IP rights. In some cases, government applications and registrations are required. In others, rights holder must act prospectively or in reaction to perceived dilution or infringement by others. 

Trademarks: safeguarding brand identity

A trademark is a name, slogan or logo that identifies one or more of your products or services, preventing them from being confused with competing ones. Although trademarks can arise under common law, it is far safer to register your mark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This allows you to check against trademarks already existing and to deal with any other obstacles to registration. A registered trademark remains valid if renewed every three years, as long as the mark is kept in regular commercial use. 

 Copyrights: protecting creative works

A copyright is exclusive control over the use, reproduction and distribution of creative works, such as books, music, artwork and software. For works created after January 1, 1978, a copyright generally lasts for the life of the creator plus 70 years. If you register your copyright at the U.S. Copyright Office in a timely manner, it can be more easily enforced against anyone who might have infringed on it through unauthorized reproduction or distribution of your work. There are “fair use” exceptions for such activities as comment, criticism, news, education and scholarship.

Trade secrets: securing ad maintaining your competitive advantage 

Trade secrets keep a company’s proprietary business information confidential. They are effective only to the extent they are kept confidential, which means measures must be in place to keep them from being disclosed nor disseminated. These measures can include instituting internal monitoring and security measures and requiring employees and contractors to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). If someone infringes on your trade secret, you may take action to enforce it and to obtain damages.

How Garcia & Gurney can assist with intellectual property protection

We are experienced in registering and protecting trademarks and copyrights and in enforcing trade secrets. Our practice includes taking all steps necessary to secure intellectual property rights as well as to enforce those rights through proactive vigilance, including litigation if necessary. We also help clients draft and negotiate agreements for licensing their technology, distributing their products or otherwise making commercial use of the intellectual assets they have worked to create and develop.

Experienced intellectual property protection attorneys help CA businesses

For help with protecting the intellectual property of your business in and around Alameda and Contra Costa counties, call Garcia & Gurney, A Law Corporation at 925-468-0400 or contact us online.