Find an Intellectual Property Law Lawyer

Thanks to the Internet and the emergence of new technologies, U.S. intellectual property law is an area where litigation is flourishing. “Intellectual property” (IP) refers to something created by the mind or intellect of a person or a business entity. Inventions, books, art, music and software are some examples. IP laws are designed to safeguard the rights of the person or entity who created the item of property. Doing business on the Web is a growing area of risk where laws are concerned. As of 2005, the laws are lagging behind regarding cyberspace and IP. As the desire for creating wealth from information grows, so does IP theft and IP infringement. With more workers skilled in manipulating computer data, trade secrets, marketing documents and customer lists, and operation manuals have become hot items in the marketplace. In a February 2005 case, for example, the FBI looked into whether a Ford employee stole computer programs and sold the counterfeit software on eBay. IP issues abound in today's courtrooms regarding the downloading of music and other digital files over the Internet. An October 2004 U.S. Department of Justice Intellectual Property Task Force report cited counterfeit pharmaceuticals, cell phone batteries, automobile parts, and bootleg DVDs as further examples of IP theft. The report concludes IP theft threatens the U.S. economy, along with its citizens' health and safety. Continued... By Kathleen Goolsby