In an age characterized by the prominence of high-tech, the Internet and E-commerce, trademark, domain name, and franchise rights play a more critical role than ever before. These rights establish the distinctiveness of a business and enhance the value of an intellectual property portfolio, thereby increasing competitiveness and improving business valuation.

TraskBritt provides a full range of services that are designed to maximize the benefits provided by trademarks and domain names, as well as provide cost-effective legal services to protect the expression of ideas in accordance with the copyright laws of the United States. These services include assisting clients in adopting, developing, protecting and enforcing strong, unique trademarks, service marks, domain names, and trade dress that identify goods and services. The professionals of this practice group provide assistance in identifying the economic and business advantages that may be gained through the adoption and protection of trade and service marks, as well as policing those marks. With the understanding that trademark and domain name rights may sometimes overlap or otherwise be in conflict with others, the Practice Group also assists clients in determining how to deal with the potentially conflicting rights of others, by, e.g., negotiations, opposition, cancellation, and litigation proceedings. A qualified staff of paralegals assists in registering, policing, and enforcing trademark, service mark, domain name, and trade dress rights of clients.

The copyright laws provide protection for works of authorship in the following categories:

• Literary works
• Musical works, including any accompanying words
• Dramatic works, including any accompanying music
• Pantomimes and choreographic works
• Pictorial, graphic and sculptural works
• Motion pictures and other audiovisual works
• Sound recordings
• Architectural works

Subject to some specific exceptions, the owner of a copyright has the exclusive rights to do and authorize any of the following:

• Reproduce the copyrighted work
• Prepare derivative works based upon the copyrighted work
• Distribute copies of the copyrighted work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending
• Perform the work publicly, if appropriate
• Display the copyrighted work publicly, if appropriate
• Perform the copyrighted work publicly by means of a digital audio transmission, in the case of sound recordings

TraskBritt attorneys advise clients on the best strategy for protecting works of authorship including federal copyright registration, infringement notification, and litigation in federal court.

Trademark & Copyright Practice Group Professionals
• William S. Britt
• H. Dickson Burton
• Edgar R. Cataxinos
• Jesse M Flores
• J. Jeffrey Gunn
• Steven W. Gutke
• Casey K. McGarvey
• Krista Weber Powell
• Stephen E. Pulley
• Elizabeth H. Schierman
• David V. Trask
• Allen C. Turner
• Joseph A. Walkowski
• Nathan E. Whitlock