By Celina M. Orr

If your business employs someone for their creative or technical abilities, you should strongly consider using an intellectual property assignment.  An intellectual property assignment can be part of a larger employment contract but, at a minimum, should clearly define ownership rights in the intellectual property created by the employee.  Such assignment clauses allow the employer to retain control of a work or invention by its employees. Like all contracts, employment contracts should be carefully worded to clearly convey the intent of the parties.

By Zach W. Hilton

Both attorneys and laypersons who are not sufficiently familiar with current U.S. copyright law are often guilty of relying upon, and spreading, popular myths and misconceptions concerning basic copyright related issues.  In most instances, reliance on copyright myths and misconceptions will not result in any harm.  However, for the minority of copyright owners who must one day attempt to protect their copyrighted works, such reliance can have potentially disastrous consequences that can effectively preclude enforcement of the copyright.  In hopes of preventing such an unfortunate outcome, a brief primer on the basics of copyright law is provided below.