On a daily basis, individuals and businesses are creating works and documentation that benefit from copyright protection.
Copyright is an intellectual property right attributed to the skill and labour of an individual in the creation and expression of an original idea. Copyright protects original works such as literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works.
This includes manuals, marketing materials, books, internet and website content, architectural plans, artwork, logos, music, lyrics and software code. These works can represent considerable value that is unique to your business.
Copyright protection is automatically provided under the Copyright Act 1968, and gives the creator of the work exclusive rights to reproduce it, commercialise it and be recognised as its creator. There is no official register or database, as with other forms of intellectual property, where you can search to see if your idea is original. Copyright material is protected from the time it is first written down, painted or drawn, filmed or taped. It also enjoys protection under the laws of other countries who are co-signatories with Australia to relevant international treaties.
Given the potential value of that lies in this category of intellectual property, it can be an important business consideration to protect that value and revenue stream from infringement. Our dispute resolution and litigation lawyers can assist in making this decision, developing a commercial relevant strategy and how it fits within your overall business objectives.
