Intellectual Property
Overview
If you want to profit from your original work and inventions,
filing for intellectual property (IP) protection is critical,
and working with an experienced lawyer to make sure your
applications are correct is critical. Also, if a business owns valuable
intellectual property, it can increase the value of the business itself.
Deciding on the right type of intellectual property protection is
also important. Learn about the three primary types of IP to the right.
Select a Topic to Learn More:
Trademarks
A trademark protects brand names, taglines and logos used on goods. Logos are considered Design Marks while plain text names and taglines are considered Word Marks. You may need both types of trademarks. Service Marks are used to protect the names of intangible assets like ideas and songs.
For example, if you own a restaurant or other food business and you want to make sure nobody else in your area uses the same name and logo as you, a trademark would protect you.
Learn more here about getty legal assistance for trademark law.
Copyrights
A copyright protects authors, artists and creators. Copyrights cover creative works such as songs, novels, movies, computer software, poetry and architecture.
If you own a construction company and develop original building designs or you’re a real estate broker and you write a book about your sales processes, you need to register for a copyright to protect your valuable creations.
Learn more here about getting legal assistance for copyright law.
Patents
A patent is a form of intellectual property that protects inventions. The two most common types of patents are Utility Patents and Design Patents.
If you develop a new kind of machine or your software company develops new software, you may need a patent. Note that software can be both copyrighted (for the code) and patented (for the invention). Deciding on one vs the other has significant consequences. Sometimes you may need both.
Intellectual Property
Overview
If you want to profit from your original work and inventions,
filing for intellectual property (IP) protection is critical,
and working with an experienced lawyer to make sure your
applications are correct is critical. Also, if a business owns valuable
intellectual property, it can increase the value of the business itself.
Deciding on the right type of intellectual property protection is
also important. Learn about the three primary types of IP to the right.
Select a Topic to Learn More:
Trademarks
A trademark protects brand names, taglines and logos used on goods. Logos are considered Design Marks while plain text names and taglines are considered Word Marks. You may need both types of trademarks. Service Marks are used to protect the names of intangible assets like ideas and songs.
For example, if you own a restaurant or other food business and you want to make sure nobody else in your area uses the same name and logo as you, a trademark would protect you.
Learn more about getting legal assistance for trademark law.
Copyrights
A copyright protects authors, artists and creators. Copyrights cover creative works such as songs, novels, movies, computer software, poetry and architecture.
If you own a construction company and develop original building designs or you’re a real estate broker and you write a book about your sales processes, you need to register for a copyright to protect your valuable creations.
Learn more about getting legal assistance for copyright law.
Patents
A patent is a form of intellectual property that protects inventions. The two most common types of patents are Utility Patents and Design Patents.
If you develop a new kind of machine or your software company develops new software, you may need a patent. Note that software can be both copyrighted (for the code) and patented (for the invention). Deciding on one vs the other has significant consequences. Sometimes you may need both.
Don’t Just Take Our Word for It
Check out what LegalShield customers have said about our products and services
See What Our
Customers Say
The attorney who assisted me was very knowledgeable in regards to my questions! He was very patient and courteous as he gave great detail to advise me in the best manner. I was able to achieve my personal goal of obtaining an LLC and EIN for my business by completing the tasks independently.
Patty J.
Mississippi Member
I had some critical questions I needed answered for my business. I received a quick response with the exact information I was looking for.
Steven T.
Minnesota Member
I was completely clueless at how to begin the trademarking process for my business and about to spend hundreds of dollars unnecessarily, however thanks to the attorney I spoke with he led me in the right direction and helped me save so much money and time.
Ashley A.
Arkansas Member
How LegalShield Works
Finding solutions to your legal issues doesn’t have to be stressful, complicated or expensive.
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Spencer Tadashi Schiefer of provider firm Davis, Miles, McGuire, Gardner has been serving LegalShield members since 2011.
Michael E. Medina Jr. of provider firm Davis, Miles, McGuire, Gardner has been serving LegalShield members since 1993.
Spencer Tadashi Schiefer of provider firm Davis, Miles, McGuire, Gardner has been serving LegalShield members since 2011.
Michael E. Medina Jr. of provider firm Davis, Miles, McGuire, Gardner has been serving LegalShield members since 1993.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a pre-paid legal plan and how does it work?
Instead of paying a lawyer by the hour, you pay a small fee (starting at $24.95/month for personal and $49/month for small business) and have access to an independent lawyer that will provide a huge variety of legal services without a huge legal bill. Services like consultation with a lawyer, document review, drafting of debt collection letters and defense at civil trials are included as standard benefits. Using the plan just once can save you literally thousands of dollars.
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How much can I save with a membership?
The average lawyer in the U.S. charges between $150-$400 per hour. If you use your membership for even just a few hours a year you could easily save over $1,000. If you have a bunch of small legal issues or one rather complicated issue, you can easily save multiple thousands of dollars over hiring a lawyer directly. Not to mention the stress you’ll save by having a lawyer on call instead of trying to handle legal issues yourself. Also, the lawyers in our network often help our members recover thousands of dollars of damages or avoid thousands of dollars in fees over what they would have experienced had they tried to resolve the legal issue themselves. Obviously every member and usage situation is different, but when used correctly, your membership can easily save significant amounts of money. Not to mention savings from our member perks.