Copyrights
Stites & Harbison's Intellectual Property (IPT) Group helps clients maximize the value of their copyright assets. We advise clients on managing and protecting copyright assets, including registering and enforcing copyrights by issuing DMCA “take down” notices, communicating directly with infringers, and instituting litigation when necessary. When litigation is unavoidable, we strategically advance our client’s interests at every stage, using our experience to efficiently work toward positive resolution while aligning with business goals.
We also help clients maximize value through drafting and negotiating licensing agreements and other agreements involving copyrights. Such agreements may involve licensing copyrights in technology or creative content in a variety of fields. The transactional work also includes assisting clients in the acquisition or disposition of copyright portfolios.
In transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of copyright portfolios, our intellectual property attorneys work with our firm’s business services attorneys to:
- Coordinate due diligence efforts;
- Evaluate and assess the status of copyright portfolios involved in a transaction;
- Draft and negotiate the appropriate terms related to copyrights in a transaction, whether they are central to or incidental to the larger transaction; and
- Ensure the accuracy of documents that reflect the transfers of copyrights.
We also have experience working on secured transactions in which copyrights and other intellectual property form a significant part of the collateral securing a loan. We draw on our firm's interdisciplinary experience to complete such transactions.
Trevor Graves Selected for Leadership Kentucky's Class of 2022
LEXINGTON, Ky.—Leadership Kentucky has selected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Trevor Graves as a member of the 2022 Leadership Kentucky program. This year’s 51-member class will participate in seven three-day sessions from June through December at locations throughout Kentucky.
Managing IP Honors Stites & Harbison Attorneys on “IP Stars” 2022 List
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Managing Intellectual Property (Managing IP) magazine has named nine Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys to the 2022 “IP Stars” list. Managing IP recognizes the most highly regarded intellectual property attorneys in the U.S.
Virginia Super Lawyers 2022 Honors John Teresinski
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The 2022 edition of Virginia Super Lawyers recently honored Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney John Teresinski. He was named to the Rising Stars list.
Intellectual Property in the Metaverse
The Metaverse, often characterized as the next level in the evolution of the Internet, is intended to be a virtual-reality, three-dimensional environment where users are able to interact meaningfully with not only other users but with the virtual environment itself. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook (re-branded as Meta) has characterized the Metaverse as “an embodied internet where you’re in the experience, not just looking at it.”
Stites & Harbison Named to 2022 Top 10 Patent Firms in North America – South List
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The Patent Lawyer Magazine has named Stites & Harbison, PLLC to the 2022 Top 10 Patent Firms and IP Practices in North America – South list.
Wait . . . What About Trade Secrets?
When one seeks to protect one’s intellectual property, patents, trademarks and copyrights immediately come to mind. Often given short shrift is the "forgotten stepchild" —trade secrets. Trade secrets may encompass a wide range of business information that (a) has value because it is not generally known in the trade and (b) is subject to reasonable efforts to preserve its confidentiality. When considering trade secrets, “business information” should be given a very broad definition and may include, but is not necessarily limited to, processes, procedures, research projects, nonpublic company documents (relating to, for example, recruiting, accounting, financial information and legal information), drawings, blueprints, laboratory notebooks, test data, training manuals, customer information and supplier information.
Europe Continues Progress Toward Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court
For decades, inventors have been able to file a single patent application in the European Patent Office (“EPO”) in order to pursue protection across multiple countries in Europe. However, at the end of the examination process, a patent application granted by the EPO still must be validated in each of the countries in which a patent owner wishes to secure enforceable patent rights.
Decoding the Crypto Brand Super Bowl Commercials
Based on commercials that aired during Super Bowl LVI, crypto brands have officially moved from the fringes to the mainstream. But the crypto ads in this prime time space didn’t do much to explain the underlying products and services, especially if the viewers were not already immersed in Web3.
Recent Patent Program Updates by the United States Patent and Trademark Office
USPTO Launches New Pilot Program to Improve Efficiency of Utility Patent Application Examination. In response to concerns expressed by way of a letter sent from Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Tom Cotton (R-AR), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has launched a “Deferred Subject Matter Eligibility Response (DSMER) Pilot Program” for non-provisional patent applications.
Defendants Caught Red-Handed in Patent Infringement Case Get Five Months of Damages Wiped Out for Patentee’s Failure to Mark Its Products
In early September of 2021, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit clarified the notice requirement of 35 U.S.C. § 287. Patentee’s seeking to recover damages on unmarked goods must ensure their notice to a potential infringer is an actual notice of infringement and not merely notice of a patent.
Stites & Harbison Strengthens Intellectual Property Practice with Addition of John Teresinski
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC welcomes attorney John P. Teresinski to the Alexandria, Va., office as a Member (Partner) with the firm.
Heavy Meta: Is Rebranding Worth All This?
Article by IP attorney Mari-Elise Paul in the Louisville Bar Association's Bench & Bar discussing rebranding.
Intellectually Speaking: As more startups come online in Louisville, the need for advice on intellectual property increases — which is where lawyers enter the picture
Intellectual property attorney, David Nagle, discusses how startups can best manage the intellectual property process when launching a business.
USPTO Issues Final Rule for Implementation of the Trademark Modernization Act of 2020
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently published a final rule implementing the Trademark Modernization Act of 2020 (TMA). The TMA amends the federal trademark statute (Lanham Act) in several ways, but the most significant aspect for the business community is the establishment of new ex parte expungement and reexamination proceedings for cancellation of a registration when the required use in commerce has not been made.
Stites & Harbison’s Intellectual Property & Technology Service Group Continues Growing with the Addition of Christina I. Ryan
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC welcomes attorney Christina I. Ryan as Counsel to the firm based in the Louisville, Ky., office. She joins the Intellectual Property & Technology Service Group.
Stites & Harbison Welcomes Samuel Raque
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC welcomes attorney Samuel A. Raque to the firm’s Nashville, Tenn., office. He joins the Intellectual Property & Technology Service Group as a Registered Patent Attorney.
Supreme Court Provides Additional Guidance on Assignor Estoppel in Patent Litigation
Assignor estoppel is an equity-based doctrine that can be invoked during the course of patent litigation to prevent an assignor, after assigning their interests to a patent to another, from later asserting that the patent is actually invalid.
AIPLA's Eleventh Annual Trademark Boot Camp
Webinar
IP attorney Joel Beres is set to speak at the AIPLA's 11th Annual Trademark Boot Camp webinar Aug. 30-Sept.2, 2021.
Mari-Elise Paul Named a 2021 Trailblazer in World IP Review’s Diversity Publication
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR) has named Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Mari-Elise Paul as one of 20 Trailblazers profiled from around the world in WIPR’s Diversity Trailblazers 2021 list.
Managing IP Selects Mandy Wilson Decker to 2021 “Top 250 Women in IP” List for Seventh Time
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Managing Intellectual Property (Managing IP) magazine recently selected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Mandy Wilson Decker to the 2021 edition of Managing IP’s “Top 250 Women in IP.” This is the seventh time Decker has been honored on this list, and she is the only attorney honored from Kentucky.