Copyrights are original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyrights exist from the point in which the works are reduced to a fixed form.
Works of Authorship
Works include writings, music, dramas, graphics and sculptures, videos and sound recordings. Works are all around us. Obvious works include books, music, photographs, paintings, sculptures and movies. But works also include advertisements, fabric prints, and floor and wall coverings. Websites (e.g., appearance, content, images, video clips) are subject to copyright protection. Training videos and presentations are protected works. Software is protected for its literal components as well as for its non-literal components, including the structure, sequence and organization of the software, and its graphics, sounds and appearance. Television and radio content, including commercials, are also forms of copyright protected works. Even the ringtones on our mobile devices are works protected by copyrights.
Ownership
The owner of a copyright is the author of the work, unless the work is made for hire, in which case an employer is considered to be the owner. Works made for hire require an express agreement, a signed written instrument that the work is made for hire.
Services
We counsel clients in all aspects of copyright matters from registration to enforcement. We advise clients about works eligible for copyright protection. We register works with the US Copyright Office. We counsel clients about ownership rights, including works made for hire. We prepare transfer instruments, including agreements for works made for hire and license agreements. We advise clients about copyright enforcement, including rights to statutory damages.