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70 of 70 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Useful Overview of Major Areas of Intellectual Property Law, September 1, 2003
Having worked in the field of intellectual property for over 30 years and as an attorney, I was interested to see what other attorneys would decide to put into a desk reference on the subject. I was pleasantly surprised.Most business people I meet have a minimal understanding of intellectual property law. As a result, they make fundamental errors that could be easily avoided with a simple foundation in the law. But I didn't know of any place where they could get such a foundation until I read this excellent reference guide. Many law students would probably also like to have a simple reference to give them a background in the subject before they start taking courses in the subject. Most attorneys also do not have any law school training in the subject, and they will also benefit from using this reference. I was particularly impressed that the cost was modest for a legal reference. The basic subjects are trade secrets, copyright, patent and trademark law. In all but patent law, a lay person can make many of the right moves in establishing rights without too much legal help. Patent law requires legal guidance in most areas, but a lay person can also avoid mistakes by understanding some of the common pitfalls that people fall into. I was particularly pleased to see that trade secrets were covered well. Most business people do not realize that trade secret protection is often superior to that of copyrights, patents and trademarks. But you have to follow the rules, or your trade secret isn't going to be considered one. I only find about one business person in a hundred who is familiar with these rules. Most people will also improve their copyright protection by following this guide. In patents, it's very important to document what you've been doing, and I found those references to be very well done. As to trademarks, most people misunderstand what can be trademarked and this book clears that point up quite well. So think of this book as more than a self-help guide and less than a legal horn book. Naturally, the intricacies of appellate cases aren't fully exposed, but there's enough here to raise fundamental issues in your mind. In each area, you will see sample forms and documents along with directions for how to obtain and file them. Nolo also offers an on-line reference that updates the material in this book, so you don't have to take out an extra subscription like most legal sources require. In doing your legal planning, be sure to look at the guide on pages 9-11 to see what forms of intellectual property protection may be available to you. That guide is worth the price of the book alone. I was also impressed by the extensive definitions in each subject area. Be sure to read through them all. Without a legal background, you won?t know what you don?t know unless you check these out. Naturally, the primary statutes are also included, for those who do not know how to look them up. People who are new to these subjects will also benefit from the many references to other sources, including on-line databases. I would advise anyone who tries to differentiate themselves through intellectual endeavors to use this guide to become familiar with the basics of the law. After you finish reviewing this book, I suggest that you spend the time to think through how you can strengthen you legal protection of your most valuable forms of intellectual property.
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by David Pressman Attorney
by Stephen Fishman Attorney
by Richard Stim Attorney Nolo Legal Editor
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