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Intellectual Property Law Services in St. Louis County

Intellectual Property Law Services in St. Louis County

Service Areas > Missouri

Does copyright law protect my photos posted on social media?

U.S. copyright law protects creative works, and photos posted on social media are no exception. The Copyright Act protects photos posted to websites such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, but only if the images meet the minimum creativity requirements, are original, and are fixed in a tangible means of expression. When a photographer captures a photograph, they make creative decisions as to the subject matter, lighting, exposure, focus, etc., which typically satisfies both the creativity and originality requirements. Photographs taken with a phone or digital camera meet the fixation requirement when it is recorded or stored in a format that can be preserved and retrieved for future use, display, reproduction, or other commercial exploitation.

Does copyright law protect my photos posted on social media?

Types of Trademarks

An attorney at Axenfeld Law Group can assess your potential St. Louis County intellectual property and recommend seeking protection over one or more types of trademarks. This includes trademarks for words, designs, sounds, as well as the unique packaging (known as trade dress) for your product. A word mark is a trademark consisting of a word or phrase that identifies a product or service. This type of trademark can be either a standard character mark, which covers any use of the word in any font, or a stylized mark, which has a specific design element. A design mark is a trademark that consists of a unique graphic design, logo, or symbol that represents a product or service. A sound mark is a trademark that consists of a unique audio element, such as a jingle, tune, or sound effect, used to identify a product or service. Sound marks must be original and capable of being represented graphically. Trade dress is the overall look and feel of a product or packaging, and it can be protected as a trademark if it's distinctive and non-functional. An attorney at Axenfeld Law Group will guide the client in choosing the best type for their business.

Types of Trademarks in St. Louis County
Intellectual Property Attorney in St. Louis

What type of services does an intellectual property attorney in St. Louis provide?

An intellectual property (“IP”) attorney isn’t just for filing patent applications. An IP attorney should be well-versed in trade secrets, trademarks, unfair business practices, and copyrights. Some of the key services Axenfeld Law provides include patent prosecution, trademark registration, copyright registration, litigation to enforce your intellectual property rights, and domain name disputes. Axenfeld Law can also work with your business to license or transfer your IP rights, whether as an individual transaction or as part of a larger deal, such as IP due diligence for mergers and acquisitions. This would include assessing your IP portfolio and determining the steps needed to protect your IP while maximizing its value.

Axenfeld Law has experience in representing St. Louis County businesses and individuals before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) involving both trademarks and patent matters. Additionally, Axenfeld Law’s litigation team is well versed in all areas of intellectual property law and can represent you in enforcing your rights against infringers or defend you when accused of infringement. IP law is a complex field with each sub-area of law containing its own nuances, therefore it is imperative to look to a team like Axenfeld Law that is familiar with the practical intricacies in order to maximize the value of your IP while minimizing the costs.

How do I protect my St. Louis County brand?

Brands can be protected by trademarks and trade dress. “Word marks” are a form of trademark that can protect the actual wording of a brand name, while “design marks” are trademarks that protect the stylization or graphical elements of your brand name. Additionally, trade dress can protect the design, shape, or appearance of you protect, such as a distinctive bottle or textile pattern. You can obtain a federal trademark or trade dress by registering with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). A trademark attorney can help you search existing trademarks and trade dresses to ensure your brand is unique, and then file a trademark application on your behalf. If approved, you will have the legal right to exclude anyone else from trying to mimic your brand, whether by appropriating the words or design elements of your brand.

How do I protect my St. Louis County brand?

What are the benefits of using a trademark attorney to apply for a St. Louis County trademark registration?

While U.S.-domiciled applicants do not need to hire a trademark attorney to prepare and file an application for their trademark, there are a number of benefits to having a U.S.-licensed attorney who specializes in trademark law represent you at the USPTO.

An attorney will be able to provide you with legal advice regarding your trademark, conduct a clearance search before you file an application (which will provide insight into the registerability of the mark and any potential issues that may arise during the application review process), prepare your application accurately to minimize office actions, communicate with the USPTO directly on your behalf, and shield you from fraudulent solicitations from third-party vendors.

While hiring an attorney to prepare your trademark application will increase the initial costs, it will likely save you money in the long term and will give you more peace of mind.

St. Louis County Trademark Registration
Provisional Patent Application in St. Louis County

The benefits of filing a provisional patent application in St. Louis

A provisional patent application is a document issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") that protects an invention for a year before a formal patent application is filed. Filing a provisional patent application has several important benefits to inventors and entrepreneurs. Firstly, provisional patent applications have less formal requirements and are more cost effective than nonprovisional applications. Secondly, they allow inventors to begin commercially promoting their invention immediately without fear of having it stolen. Thirdly, a provisional patent application serves as the effective date of filing for the invention, allowing inventors twelve additional months on the term of their patent grant and the right to use the term "patent pending."

St. Louis County Intellectual Property Law Services

Woodson Terrace, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Winchester, MO Trademark Services Wildwood, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Wilbur Park, MO Patent Services Westwood, MO Trademark Services Wellston, MO Patent Services Webster Groves, MO Patent Services Warson Woods, MO Patent Services St. Louis, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Sappington, MO Intellectual Property Law Services St. John, MO Intellectual Property Law Services St. George, MO Trademark Services St. Ann, MO Trademark Services Spanish Lake, MO Patent Services Shrewsbury, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Rock Hill, MO Patent Services Riverview, MO Trademark Services Richmond Heights, MO Trademark Services Sycamore Hills, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Sunset Hills, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Vinita Park, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Velda Village Hills, MO Patent Services Velda City, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Valley Park, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Uplands Park, MO Trademark Services University City, MO Trademark Services Twin Oaks, MO Trademark Services Town and Country, MO Trademark Services Lakeshire, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Lemay, MO Patent Services Manchester, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Maplewood, MO Patent Services Marlborough, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Maryland Heights, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Olivette, MO Trademark Services Mehlville, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Moline Acres, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Normandy, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Northwoods, MO Patent Services Norwood Court, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Oakland, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Oakville, MO Patent Services Old Jamestown, MO Trademark Services Overland, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Pagedale, MO Trademark Services Pasadena Hills, MO Patent Services Pasadena Park, MO Trademark Services Pine Lawn, MO Patent Services Kirkwood, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Ladue, MO Trademark Services Kinloch, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Eureka, MO Trademark Services Fenton, MO Patent Services Ferguson, MO Trademark Services Flordell Hills, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Florissant, MO Trademark Services Frontenac, MO Trademark Services Glasgow Village, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Glen Echo Park, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Glendale, MO Patent Services Green Park, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Greendale, MO Patent Services Hanley Hills, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Hazelwood, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Hillsdale, MO Trademark Services Huntleigh, MO Patent Services Jennings, MO Patent Services Grantwood Village, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Concord, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Clayton, MO Trademark Services Clarkson Valley, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Chesterfield, MO Trademark Services Charlack, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Champ, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Castle Point, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Calverton Park, MO Trademark Services Bridgeton, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Brentwood, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Creve Coeur, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Country Club Hills, MO Patent Services Country Life Acres, MO Patent Services Crestwood, MO Patent Services Cool Valley, MO Patent Services Crystal Lake Park, MO Patent Services Dellwood, MO Trademark Services Des Peres, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Edmundson, MO Patent Services Ellisville, MO Patent Services Ballwin, MO Trademark Services Bella Villa, MO Trademark Services Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO Trademark Services Bellerive Acres, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Bel-Nor, MO Patent Services Bel-Ridge, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Berkeley, MO Intellectual Property Law Services Beverly Hills, MO Trademark Services Black Jack, MO Patent Services Breckenridge Hills, MO Trademark Services Affton, MO Trademark Services