intellectual property Archives - Hackstaff, Snow, Atkinson & Griess, LLC

News/Resources

Copyrights & Trademarks 101: What is Protected and Where?

The terms “copyright” and “trademark” are thrown around a lot when people talk about intellectual property protections, but many people either get them confused or don’t have a full understanding of what their protections entail. Both are distinct forms of intellectual property protection, and protect very specific, and different, things. In this copyrights & trademarks […]

In 1970, when Congress passed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), most Americans were familiar with the famous movie mobster Rico Bandello from the film Little Caesar, one of the first “talkies” ever made.   The Act was cleverly named after the mobster and was initially used to weaken the Gambino crime family. In […]

Trade Secrets and NDAs: What to Know

Businesses risk a great deal when they share their trade secrets with employees or other individuals and entities—like franchises, business partners, or potential buyers.   These trade secrets can be the lifeblood of a company. What happens if one of those individuals or entities walks away with a client list, a secret recipe, or a cutting-edge […]

Small and medium-sized businesses make up the majority of companies in America today. Their work is critical to the economy, but they often lack the means—including the time, resources, and knowledge—to protect it.  If you’re a small business leader, it’s critical not to overlook your business’s intellectual property (IP). Your business needs to protect its […]

Working remotely, the gig economy, and contract work is increasing exponentially. Companies from many different business sectors are all filling in labor gaps with gig or contract workers. Many of them perform their contracted duties remotely. While this is convenient for both the company and the contractor, it opens the door to many business risks.  One of the most […]

No matter what kind of Colorado business you own, you have valuable information you need to protect whether you realize it or not. Frequently referred to as intellectual property (IP), this information could be anything from customer lists to the secret formula for your cleaning products or anything in between. If another person or party were to […]

Your Colorado business may not be on par with Coca-Cola, Krispy Kreme, or the New York Time’s Best Seller List, but that does not mean you do not have valuable business information to protect. Today, most businesses have the information they need to keep under wraps from client lists and overhead to proprietary software or recipes. Suppose a business owner does not take reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality of specific […]

In a recent Colorado case involving a debt collection agency that stored customer service information in a password protected web database, the Colorado Court of Appeals upheld the enforcement of claims for misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of a nonsolicitation agreement against a independent sales agent who left to work for a competitor.  The […]

Man holding a tablet with a data dashboard on it

Your company‘s intellectual property (IP) rights are among its most valuable business assets. When properly obtained, managed, and enforced, they have immense value and protect the company’s commercial power. Every business should periodically conduct an IP audit to ascertain their rights, the extent of protection they are entitled to, and the value of the company’s IP assets. Informed business decisions require an in-depth understanding of the […]

Photo of people at a white board discussing business ideas

You started the new year with a big idea for your company; maybe you even have more than one. You‘re excited to hit the ground running with it. Still, before you do, it‘s time to consider what types of protections your intellectual property might require. Not securing the appropriate protections jeopardizes your big idea‘s value and impact on your […]