Category Archives: Best Practices

Why Should I Register My Trademarks?

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TrademarkIn the United States, trademark rights are based on (1) priority (who used the mark first), (2) territory (the geographic area(s) where the mark has been used), and (3) use (whether products or services are actually provided under the mark).

Generally, the first to either use a mark in commerce or file an intent-to-use application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has the ultimate right to use and registration of the mark.

Common law rights arise when products or services are offered for sale in connection with the mark.  However, common law rights are limited to the trade area in which you actually use the mark and those rights may be limited or even prohibited by prior senior uses of the same or confusingly similar marks.

A trademark owner may also register a mark in one or more individual states through Secretary of State Offices.

Although registering your mark with the USPTO is not required to establish rights in a trademark, there are many important benefits of federal trademark registration with the USPTO.  For example, upon registration of a federal trademark, the registrant obtains rights to the mark throughout the United States retroactive to the date of filing of the application. The registrant also obtains the right to stop junior users from adopting confusingly similar marks in overlapping trade areas or anywhere the registrant has acquired goodwill in such mark.

Here are some of the benefits of registration:

  • Registration provides constructive notice nationwide of the mark owner’s claim in the mark and evidence of ownership of the mark.
  • The mark owner has the exclusive right to use the mark on or in connection with the goods or services set forth in the registration.
  • The mark owner may bring lawsuits for infringement in federal court.
  • The mark owner may be entitled to recover profits, damages and costs of infringement, attorneys’ fees and treble damages.
  • Registration can be used as a basis for obtaining registration in foreign countries.
  • The mark can obtain incontestable status after continuous use for 5 years after the date of registration on the Principal Register (which limits third parties’ rights to contest your mark).
  • Registration may be filed with U.S. Customs Service to prevent importation of infringing foreign goods.

An application for trademark registration requires: (1) a completed application form, (2) a nonrefundable filing fee ranging from $225-$375 per class of goods/services, and, for marks already being used in commerce, (3) specimens of the mark showing use of the mark in connection with the applicable goods/services.

Click here for more information about how to select and protect a trademark.

 

Band Agreement Checklist: What’s the Deal?

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Are you a musical artist performing and collaborating with other musicians?  If so, then you should have a written agreement between the members of the group addressing, at least, the issues in the checklist below.  You might even want to consider forming a corporate entity for your group, which will protect your individual assets from liability related to group activities and address the issues below as well.  (Note:  A solo artist can benefit from the protection of a corporate entity.)dance-patry_1100012046-012914-int

A Band Agreement is to a band what a prenup is to a marriage or a will is to an individual…it addresses some important (and sometimes difficult) issues so a plan is in place — outlining how things will go, who is responsible for what, and who gets what — just in case the unexpected or unimaginable happens.  The Band Agreement should be negotiated towards the beginning of the relationship, when everyone is happy with everyone else.  Perhaps even more importantly, if your band doesn’t have its own written agreement, then state or federal laws may determine your band’s business relationship by default.  As with most relationships, if you wait until there are problems (or your band starts making money), it could be much more difficult (if not emotionally and financially draining), if not impossible, to resolve these issues.    

Band Members                                                                                                                                  

  • Who are the members of the band?
  • Is one or more band member(s) the “owner” of the band and the other “band members” really just employees or hired hands?
  • What happens when a new member is hired or an existing member leaves the band?
  • How can band members be fired?
  • Can a member quit at will?
  • What if a member becomes disabled or dies? (This may be important so surviving spouses/parents are(n’t) involved with the group’s business.)
  • What are the members’ responsibilities, relationship, etc.?
  • What is required of each member?
  • Does a member need permission from some or all of the other members to perform with another group while he’s a member of the band?
  • What if the band breaks up or decides to go their separate ways?

Money                                                                                                                                                

  • Who will pay/get paid for what?
  • How will band profits/debts be distributed? (Royalties, performance fees, etc.)
  • Do some members receive/contribute more than others?
  • Who will keep track of band monies?
  • What will happen when one band member contributes more time/money than expected?
  • Will band members receive payment for projects completed and/or be responsible for debts incurred prior to leaving? (Does this change depending on whether the person leaves or is removed?)
  • Does the band have to “buyout” the leaving member?

Acquisition of Assets                                                                                                                         

  • How will the band acquire gear/assets? (Instruments, PA system, lights, van, merchandise, website/domain name, social media accounts, etc.)

Business Decisions                                                                                                                             

  • How will band business decisions be made? (Hiring/firing lawyers, managers, agents, spending band money, signing with a record label, etc.) Majority vote? Unanimous vote? Veto power? Tie-breaker? Majority vote for some decisions and unanimous vote for others?
  • How can the band agreement be changed?

 Creative Decisions                                                                                                                             

  • Who owns the songs band members write? How is songwriting credit determined? Will the Band Agreement govern this issue, or will ownership be determined on a song-by-song basis in a separate songwriting split acknowledgement? (Note: You may want to seek advice on copyright law prior to deciding this, as those who write the songs get the publishing royalties. By the way…the U.S. Copyright Act will determine this if you don’t agree on the splits in a signed document.
  • Who decides which songs to perform/record?
  • Who decides what gigs to play?
  • Who decides if everyone has the same haircut and wears the same outfit on stage?

Band Name                                                                                                                                        

  • Who owns the band name?
  • How about websites/domain names, social media accounts and other media related to the band?
  • What happens to the band name if the band breaks up or a band member quits/is fired?
  • Who, if anyone, can still perform using the name? (Everyone must still be involved? The key player(s)/founder(s) must still be involved? No one can use the name?) (Note: You may want to seek advice on trademark law prior to deciding on a name and/or to determine if you want to apply for a federal trademark registration for the name.)

Corporate Entities                                                                                                                             

  • Partnership – Partnerships are easier to set up, but expose you and your personal assets to liability. You may want to start as a partnership and convert to a corporation once things get going. (Note: Unless a band has formed a corporate entity or created a written partnership agreement, state partnership laws will govern the bands’ business relationship.)
  • Corporations and Limited Liability Companies – Corporations are somewhat more expensive to set up, but provide more protection and shelter your personal assets. A Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) provides the flexibility of a partnership with the limited liability of a corporation.

This checklist provides some business and legal issues you should consider if you are engaging in activities in the music business as a musical performing artist.  However, the list is not exhaustive, is not necessarily in any particular order, and not every item on this list is necessarily appropriate for your particular situation.  Please consult with an Attorney who has music industry experience for advice regarding your particular needs and issues.  You may also want to engage the services of a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to help you with tax preparation and entity-related decisions.

 

Social Media Terms of Use – Is Your Brand Following the Rules?

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Advertisements and promotions on social media channels are a daily occurrence.  In addition to complying with traditional advertising rules and regulations, brands need to comply with each social media channel’s Terms of Use and advertising-specific rules.

NBC recently ran afoul of Facebook’s rules when it posted a three-minute clip from the latest episode of Saturday Night Live that began with a five-second ad for Subway.  The rules state that “Third-party advertisements on Pages are prohibited, without our prior permission.”  In other words, video clips with ads not sold by Facebook are not allowed…unless a brand enters into an agreement similar to typographic-poster-design-i-have-read-and-accept-the-terms-and-conditions_GJfTZN_dFacebook’s deal with the NFL that allows brands to run ads after clips are shown and gives Facebook takes a piece of the ad revenue.  Earlier this year, Facebook launched Anthology, which connects brands and digital media publishers (like Funny or Die, The Onion and Oh My Disney) to create branded content to be targeted and optimized through Facebook.

The Terms of Use and related policies for each social media channel (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) can differ greatly and tend to change frequently. The Terms of Use often contain guidelines or rules for advertising and hosting contests, sweepstakes and other promotions through the social media channel, ownership and (restrictions on) use of content, rules (and prohibitions) for using native functionality (e.g., “share on your Timeline to enter”), and other important information. Some social media channels, such as YouTube, require you to obtain written permission from them before you can post ads or product placements.

Before your brand posts content on a social media channel, be sure to check the rules on each channel to make sure you’re in compliance.

 

Protecting Your Marks Outside of the United States: Foreign Trademark Priority Filings

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Trademark protection is geographic in scope…meaning that a trademark is only protected in the geographic area(s) (state/region/country) in which the mark is used or registered.

earth globeA United States trademark application or registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) does not protect a trademark in any foreign country.  However, U.S. trademark applications and registrations can be used to obtain trademark protection in other countries and vice versa.

Six-Month Priority Foreign Filings

If the foreign trademark application is filed within six months of the U.S. application, the foreign application can claim “convention priority.”  This means that the foreign application will be treated as if it was filed on the same day as the U.S. application.  Nearly all countries are members of the Paris Convention, which put this rule in place.

“Claiming priority” in this six month window can prove to be a major advantage by providing you with the earliest possible filing date for your mark.  If other applicants file similar marks after that priority date, they will be rejected or suspended. In other words, your application will receive priority over applications filed after not only your actual filing date, but also over applications filed between your actual filing date and your priority date.

Taking advantage of priority foreign filings also allows you the opportunity to spread out the costs associated with trademark filings over a six-month period and gives you time to assess your international brand protection strategy without sacrificing any protection…which can be significant, especially for a new venture or brand.

Foreign trademark applications filed after this six-month “priority” date take the actual dates on which they are filed.

Other Cost-Saving Measures and Strategies

In many cases, there are mechanisms available that provide efficient and cost-effective ways of obtaining protection for your brand simultaneously in multiple countries.  For example, the Madrid Protocol allows a trademark owner to seek protection in any of the almost 100 member countries by filing one application and designating as many member countries as it chooses.  It is also possible to file a single Community Trade Mark (“CTM”) application for a trademark covering all of the countries in the European Union.  You can designate the EU/CTM in your Madrid Protocol application.

 

What’s in a (Brand) Name?

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Choosing a name for your company, creative project, product or service is just as important as (and often more difficult than) naming a child or pet. Brands are so important that many big companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and months or even years on research, focus group testing and the like in attempts to find just the right name or logo for a new product or service.

Your brand distinguishes your products and services from your competitors’ products and services. But a brand is much more than just a name or logo.  Your brand also serves as a symbol of the quality, value, and reputation which customers and fans expect in products you sell and services you provide…not to mention the emotional connection customers and fans can develop with your brand.  For example, if we’re talking about driving a Beetle or listening to The Beatles, you probably don’t just think “car” or “band.”  Instead, you likely have thoughts and emotions related to your experiences with and perceptions of those brands — whether positive or negative.

With so much at stake, choosing a name that will resonate with your customers and fans and convey information about your product or service is important.  When brainstorming a name for your company, creative project, product or service, remember that not all brands are created equal … particularly when it comes to trademark protection.

Brands — also known as Trademarks (used on products) and Service Marks (used in connection with services) — include any word, name, symbol, or device, or any combination of these, used, or intended to be used, in commerce to identify and distinguish the goods or services of one entity from those sold or provided by others, and to indicate the source of the goods or services. Trademarks can include entity names, product names, logos, domain names, 800 numbers, slogans, phrases and tag lines, character names, band names, jingles, and trade dress, such as product configurations, color, packaging and store designs.  

The best marks are memorable, appealing and elicit desired responses.  The ultimate goal should be to find a mark that is uniquely yours — a mark that is not confusingly similar to an existing mark used for similar products or services (i.e., someone else beat you to the punch), one that suggests some connection with another organization or famous person, or one that consists of a person’s last name.  And it can take a village of marketing, artistic, business and legal types to find that perfect mark.

While searching for that perfect mark, you should keep in mind that some marks are stronger than others…

  • Generic terms are common names for products or services, such as SALT when used in connection with sodium chloride or THE CHOCOLATIER for a store providing chocolate candy.  These terms can never be protected as trademarks.
  • Descriptive marks describe an ingredient, quality, characteristic, function, feature, purpose or use of the product or service, such as SALTY used in connection with crackers or DALLAS.COM for a website providing tourism information about Dallas.  These marks are not initially protectable unless the owner can show that the mark has gained “secondary meaning” or “acquired distinctiveness” (proof that the mark has become distinctive of the mark owner’s goods or services) in the marketplace over time through extensive and substantially exclusive use.
  • Suggestive marks suggest some characteristic or nature of the product or service and require imagination, thought or perception to reach a conclusion as to the nature of those products or services, such as COPPERTONE for suntan lotion or BLOCKBUSTER for a video rental store. Although there can be a fine line between descriptive and suggestive marks, suggestive marks are automatically protected as trademarks because they are “inherently distinctive.”
  • Arbitrary marks are very strong marks because they have no relation to the product or service, such as APPLE for computers.   However, because these are real words, other companies may have also adopted the words as marks, such as APPLE VACATIONS.
  • Fanciful/coined marks are the strongest marks because they are made up words, such as XEROX for copiers or EXXON for gasoline, and consumers only associate the mark owner with selling that service or product.  

From a trademark protection perspective, fanciful/coined, arbitrary or suggestive marks are preferable to descriptive (protectable with acquired distinctiveness) or generic (never protectable) marks.  Many company, product and service names tend to be descriptive or suggestive because business owners attempt to quickly choose names that help consumers easily identify their products or services.  However, the more creativity you use in the naming process, the stronger the mark and the more likely you are to prevent third parties from being able to use the same or similar mark on similar (or even unrelated) products and services.

Before using or registering a name for your services or products, you should, at the very least, perform a quick “knockout” availability search to see if a third party may already be using the same or similar mark in connection with the same or similar products or services.  You should:

  • Check for entity names and state trademark registrations with Secretary of State Offices where business will be done.
  • Search the U.S. trademark database.
  • Perform a Google search to determine whether third parties have common law rights to the name.
  • Perform a WHOIS search to determine whether domain names are available (as brands typically want a corresponding web presence).

A mark is one of the most important words, phrases or designs you will use to represent your products or services to the world.  Although selecting a name may seem simple, trademark law is very nuanced and is often much more complex than it appears. Therefore, I believe it is a wise investment of resources to engage a trademark attorney to perform more sophisticated searches to determine whether your mark is available and inform you as to the potential risks associated with use and/or registration of your proposed mark.  (Note:  You can save yourself some time and money by performing knockout searches for your potential marks before asking an attorney to search a particular mark more thoroughly.)

Choosing a mark that’s already being used by a third party can result in cease and desist letters and trademark infringement lawsuits…potentially requiring you to abandon use of the mark, destroy all products and materials that depict the mark, and potentially even paying the third party mark owner profits gained from infringing uses of a mark as well as damages the mark owner may have incurred from such infringing use.  The last thing you want to do after spending a bunch of money to print business cards, stationery, packaging, advertising and goodness knows what else emblazoned with your mark is having to scrap everything and start from scratch with another mark.

Hiring a lawyer to guide you during the mark selection process can save you (potentially hundreds of) thousands of dollars and several headaches down the road.

 

Endorsements and Testimonials: Are You Following the Rules?

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Does your company use endorsements or testimonials to promote its products or services on its website or in its advertising or marketing materials?  Do you allow customers to post on your social media pages or website?  Are you a blogger who reviews products or services?

When most people hear the words endorsement or testimonial, they likely imagine a celebrity or expert getting paid big bucks to talk about an “amazing” product or service.  And, they would be right.

However, if you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, then you likely need to comply with the Endorsement and Testimonial Guides issued by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”).

Examples of messages that constitute endorsements include a film critic’s review of a movie used in Excellent result on survey on blackboardan advertisement for the film, a well-known athlete using a certain brand of sporting equipment in an ad for that brand, and a positive product review posted by a consumer on her personal blog where the consumer received the product free as part of a network marketing program.

The Guides reflect three basic truth-in-advertising principles:

  1. Endorsements must be truthful and not misleading;
  2. If the advertiser doesn’t have proof that the endorser’s experience represents what consumers will achieve by using the product, the ad must clearly and conspicuously disclose the generally expected results in the depicted circumstances; and
  3. If there’s a connection between the endorser and the marketer of the product that would affect how people evaluate the endorsement, it should be disclosed.

In other words, endorsements:

  1. Must reflect the honest experience or opinion of the endorser (there are different rules for consumer, celebrity and expert endorsements, as well as for endorsements by organizations);
  2. May not contain representations or claims that would be deceptive, or could not be substantiated, if the advertiser made them directly; and
  3. Must disclose any material connection between the person endorsing a product or service and the company selling the product or service that might materially affect the weight or credibility of the endorsement (employee, relative, paid, etc. – even small incentives, such as free product for bloggers to sample, must be disclosed).

Although the Guides don’t mandate the specific wording of disclosures, the Guides states that disclosures “must be clear and conspicuous on all devices and platforms that consumers may use to view the ad”…even if there are only 140 characters available for the entire message.  For example, paid spokespeople must disclose that they are sponsored (#sponsored or #ad) or explicitly mention that they are working with the brand/company (e.g., I’m teaming up with [brand/company] to do X) on social media platforms, such as Twitter.

If you are a brand owner, use caution before you follow, friend, like, or engage with a celebrity, third-party trademark or brand. Do not imply that there is an affiliation between the brand/company and the user/celebrity/trademark/etc….especially when such a relationship doesn’t exist. (Most consumers will assume there is a relationship between the brand/company and the user/celebrity/trademark.)

For more information, see the FTC’s FAQs about endorsements and testimonials.

 

Intent to Use Trademark Applications: Reserve Your Brand Today!

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Although actual use of a mark in commerce is usually required to protect a trademark, Intent-to-Use (“ITU”) Trademark Applications extend potential protection to a mark before it is used in interstate commerce.  One of the main benefits is that, once the application matures into a registration, you can claim the filing date as your constructive date of first use of the mark, even though you didn’t actually use the mark until after you filed. (In other words, filing an ITU application provides nationwide priority over others, with the exception of parties who had used the mark before your filing date, parties who had filed before you, or parties who are entitled to an earlier priority filing date based upon the filing of a foreign application). You will also be able to establish some priority in a mark and determine whether your mark is registrable before you invest large sums of money for advertising, printing, etc.

Bona Fide Intent.  Before you file an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), you must have a good faith or bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce. I recommend that your intent be bolstered by verifiable documents (corporate minutes, reports, plans, contracts, evidence of R&D, market research, manufacturing activities, steps to acquire distributors or obtain required governmental approval, or other similar activities).

Goods and Services.  A trademark application must list the specific goods/services that will be provided in connection with the mark. (Goods are products; services are activities performed for the benefit of someone else.) The description of goods/services should use clear, concise terms that are easily understood by the general public. Once an application is filed, you can clarify or delete certain goods/services, but you must file a new application to add additional goods/services. As ITU applications are often filed before final decisions have been made, it is usually best to be broad and over-inclusive with respect to the goods/services you reasonably intend to offer.

Allowed Applications. Once your mark clears the initial evaluation and publication process, the USPTO will issue a Notice of Allowance. Your Allowed application will not mature into a Registration unless and until you file an Allegation of Use indicating that you have begun use of the mark in commerce.  You have six (6) months from the date the application is Allowed to file an Allegation of Use. However, you may file up to five (5) six-month Extensions, which allows you to “reserve” the mark for up to three (3) years before actual use of the mark in commerce is required. If an Allegation of Use is not filed within 36 months of the date the application was Allowed, the application will abandon. The USPTO filing fees are currently $150 per Class of goods/services for each Extension, and $100 per Class of goods/services to file an Allegation of Use.

Establishing Use. In order to prepare an Allegation of Use, you will need the following for each Class of goods/services: (1) Date of First Use Anywhere (MM/DD/YY); (2) Date of First Use in Commerce (MM/DD/YY); and (3) a Specimen of Use.

  • Date of First Use Anywhere. The date the mark was first used in commerce anywhere (which may be earlier than, or the same as, the date of the first use of the mark in commerce).
  • Date of First Use in Interstate Commerce. For goods (Classes 1-34), “interstate commerce” involves sending the goods across state (or country) lines with the mark displayed on the goods or packaging for the goods. With services (Classes 35-45), “interstate commerce” involves using or displaying the mark in connection with selling, advertising or offering a service to those in another state (or country) or rendering a service which affects interstate commerce (e.g., restaurants, gas stations, hotels). “Use in commerce” must be bona fide use in the ordinary course of trade, not “token” use simply made to reserve rights in the mark.
  • Specimen of Use. A specimen is a real-world example of how the mark is actually used on the goods or in the offer of services. Specimens for goods (Classes 1-34) may take the form of labels, tags, packaging, or containers for the goods, a display associated with the goods, or a photograph of the goods that shows use of the mark on the goods. Specimens for services (Classes 35-45) should include some reference to the type of services rendered and may take the form of website screenshots, magazine advertisements, brochures, a sign, a business card or stationery, or a photograph showing the mark as used in rendering or advertising the services.

Controlling Your Domain (Name) to Avoid a Domain Name Fumble

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Next week’s NFL Draft brings to mind a cautionary tale…

It could happen to any of us, and it almost happened to the Dallas Cowboys at a crucial time.  In the middle of the 2010 NFL season, buzz surrounding whether Cowboys’ head coach Wade Phillips was going to be fired (which was ultimately the case) was at an all-time high.  No doubt, fans, rivals and press were all scouring the internet for updates on the situation, and the Cowboys’ website was probably the prime online destination of the day. Unfortunately, the team forgot to renew the dallascowboys.com domain, and many would-be site visitors got error screens instead of highlights and instant replays. Talk about a game-changing fumble! See related article here.Blue Url Words Shows Org Biz Com Edu

It’s worth noting that the dallascowboys.com domain name was originally purchased in 1995 and probably was reserved for the longest possible time allowed.  Although most domain name registrars timely send email renewal reminders to domain name owners, it’s likely that whomever was initially responsible for the domain name was long gone and the renewal information didn’t get forwarded to the proper person (and, although auto-renew is available, the credit card info on file with the domain name registrar was probably no longer valid as well). It’s lucky that the ‘Boys became aware of the problem (which you might call an incomplete pass) and quickly renewed the domain before someone else (perhaps a disgruntled, recently fired coach) grabbed it and tried to hold it hostage.

At least Dallas Cowboys Football Club, Ltd. was listed as the domain name owner.  Many times, the person who originally registers the domain name (whether an employee of the organization or someone with the company hired to design the website) is listed as the owner of the domain name and the domain name is never officially transferred to the organization and/or the information doesn’t get updated…which can cause a host of problems for the organization utilizing the domain name (especially if the employee is terminated or if the development company relationship dissolves).

Although the Cowboys had a close call and almost wound up on the disabled list, this is a great example of how easy it can be for an organization to neglect (and almost lose) one of its most important intellectual property assets. We all know how valuable your website is to your business, so here’s what you should do to prepare your domain name offensive strategy…

If you have a website: 

(1)   Determine who is listed as the owner of your domain name.

To find out who owns your domain name and when the registration expires, type in the domain name (e.g., dallascowboys.com) in a WHOIS search database, such as InterNIC, Network Solutions, or GoDaddy.

(2)   Check to ensure that this information is correct. 

If the Administrative and/or Technical Contact information is not in your company’s name, you’ll want to update this information as quickly as possible.

You may need a Domain Name Transfer Agreement to perfect the chain of title for the domain name ownership.  (While you’re at it, you may also want to make sure you have a Website Development Agreement in place with any third-party web developer for the website associated with the domain name so you own/have rights to your web content and design.)

If the domain name is registered to one of your company’s employees or officers, add this to your employee exit checklist to ensure that this information is updated should the employee/officer leave the company.

A disgruntled/terminated employee or website developer with sole control of a company domain name can easily redirect internet, e-mail and intranet traffic within a matter of moments and bring business to a standstill.

(3)   Calendar a reminder for the domain name renewal date.  

The expiration date for the domain name registration is listed in the WHOIS information (see #1 above).

 

Intellectual Property Audits: Taking Stock of Your Intangibles

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Most companies routinely perform inventory audits of their physical assets…but — even though it’s not always on the radar — performing audits of intangible assets is equally (and perhaps even more) important.

The objective of an IP audit is to identify and protect intellectual property assets that provide you with Audit Rubber Stamp Shows Financial Accounting Examinationa competitive advantage and promote the goodwill of your business.  By creating a process to identify and take steps to protect intellectual property at least once a year (and perhaps more frequently if IP is a major component of your business), you can ensure that valuable assets are not made public, or otherwise lost or compromised, prior to taking the appropriate actions to protect them.  An intellectual property audit and due diligence review should also be performed in connection with mergers and acquisitions and other buy/sell transactions, as well as financing transactions that affect IP assets.

Typical intellectual property assets include product, service and company names and logos (trademarks), website content, written materials, and creative works (copyrights), formulas, processes, product designs and inventions (patents), and proprietary customer lists and other confidential information, such as pricing data and vendor information (trade secrets). Depending on your industry and the types of products and services you offer, there may be other intellectual property assets to consider.  These items should be identified and reviewed on a regular basis.

An audit should include a variety of information, such as:

  • Name/Description of IP – Identification of mark or domain name, title of copyright or patent
  • Subject of IP – List of goods/services, copyrighted material, description of patent
  • Status of IP – Application and registration number(s), intent-to-use or actual use-based mark, upcoming filing deadlines, IP not protected, related litigation or other disputes or issues
  • When/How/Where the IP Has Been Used – Dates of first use/publication, where/how IP used/published, U.S./International use, and any licenses or agreements regarding the IP
  • Chain of Title – IP owner(s), list of all IP transfers, note any transfers that have not been recorded, note any gaps in the record of ownership

Once your intellectual property has been itemized, you should determine whether any additional protections or updates to existing protections are necessary.  You should also review company policies and agreements with employees, independent contractors and licensees regarding the creation, use and protection of your (or third party) IP assets, as well as confidentiality and non-compete protections.  Additionally, your social media, website and insurance policies should be reviewed, as well as your advertising and marketing materials.  You may also consider whether you need to implement systems to monitor unauthorized use of your IP assets by others and address how to approach infringement scenarios.

Internal IP audits are a great start, but you should consider consulting with an IP attorney to ensure all of your IP has been identified and is protected.