Copyright protects the original expression of an idea, but not the idea itself as copyright protection extends only to “original works of authorship.” That is why we can have lots of books, films, TV movies, songs, and more regarding the life of Marilyn Monroe of varying quality. The threshold of what is an original expression … Read more
Fish fry season in full swing here in Wisconsin, but let’s be honest, when isn’t it? Our love of Friday Night Fish has even inspired websites like Madison Fish Fry to help hungry folk find their next beer battered entrée. Fish fry products, however, are more than something to stock up for the week’s end. … Read more
We now know the brackets for the NCAA tournament. How people choose their winners can be everything from favorite colors to hours of study. But two things are always certain during the tournament: Upset wins and a crackdown on businesses using “March Madness” without permission. Starting right around now, many companies are looking to cash in on … Read more
We just arrived home from a two-week trip to Japan. Almost every day, I did at least one thing that some would say I should be embarrassed to admit: I went to Starbucks. Every single day. And I don’t feel bad one little bit. Do you know why? Because my day just goes better if … Read more
Your ideas may know no boundaries, but the protection of them does. Intellectual property laws only protect the subject within the boundaries of the entity that created the protection. There are three types of entities that provide intellectual protection: States (or provinces), nations and regional intellectual property organizations. Nations each have their own intellectual property … Read more