Copyright

Our copyright solicitors have significant experience and expertise in dealing with a number of copyright law-related matters, including:

Pursuing or defending, claims for copyright infringement, including the infringement of copyright in computer software, designs, images, website content and photographs; and
Advising on and drafting copyright license and assignment agreements.

Individuals and businesses probably own copyright in one form or another. It can be found in a variety of original and creative works, such as literary (e.g. website content, computer software, databases, books) artistic (e.g. photographs, drawings/paintings, sculptures), dramatic or musical works.

There are a number of acts in relation to copyright works which are restricted by copyright law, including copying the work in question, issuing or communicating the copied work to the public, adapting the works or authorising others to do any of these activities.

Copyright is a potentially valuable asset for an individual or business and any of the above acts should only be carried out under a license or with permission of the copyright owner.

We can draft licence agreements and other such contracts and assist you with making or defending

FAQs

Do I need to register for copyright?

Not in the UK. Copyright automatically exists whenever a copyright work is created. Such as a story or poem written down, a screen play, musical score, a painting or a photograph. If you are an international business however, you will need to check with a legal advisor in your other countries of operation whether copyright is registrable in those countries.

I have found an image online which I would like to use for my business – is this ok?

No, probably not. Just because something exists online does not mean that it’s freely available to use. That image will belong to somebody and therefore no other party can use the image without the owner’s permission. To do so could potentially be copyright infringement.

A third party has copied my idea. What can I do?

In law, an idea alone cannot be protected. In fact the law favours healthy competition. You can prevent a third party from discussing an idea with somebody else by way of a non-disclosure/confidentiality agreement. However, it is only when that “idea” turns into something real do different intellectual property protections attach. For example, when you write a plan or draw a design, then such would be protected by copyright. We would be happy to discuss your “idea” with you and the extent of the third party’s use of that idea to see if there are any other legal options available to you.