You may have heard that in the US there's no need to register your copyrights, because they're automatically protected. While this is true, this is misleading. While your work is automatically copyrighted once it's fixed in a tangible form, you can't enforce this copyright, because you can't bring a lawsuit for copyright infringement until you receive either a certificate of [...]
Did you know that your failure to retain all relevant materials after litigation is "reasonably anticipated" could result in you being fined or sanctioned by the court? You may even lose the case as a result of failure to preserve evidence. Recently a federal court imposed a $10,000 fine on defendants who failed to preserve relevant text messages. The defendants [...]
Business filing scams have become so common that a number of state-corporate divisions have begun issuing scam warnings on their websites. For example, the Oregon Secretary of State Corporation Division is warning business owners about a Workplace Compliance Services (W.C.S.) or C.P.S. mailing resembling the official annual report notice from the Oregon Secretary of State. Similarly, the Washington Secretary of [...]
You're angry. Your employer fired you, or your neighbor plays loud music every day, or you slipped walking into the grocery store. Should you sue? Maybe not. Before filing a lawsuit, there are a number of things you should think carefully about, including these risks. 1. No matter how good your case appears to be, you might lose. 2. Even [...]
This year, New Year's Day brought more than resolutions, football games and hangovers: on January 1st, thousands of works previously protected by copyright entered the public domain. The 1998 Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act added an additional 20 years to existing copyrights, so works first published in 1924 are entering the public domain. Once a work becomes part of [...]
Some of you may know you have common law rights in your protectable trademarks just by using those marks in interstate or foreign commerce, so you might wonder why you should pay for a trademark registration. Protection from Cybersquatters While there are numerous reasons to register your mark as soon as possible, one of the more significant is that it's [...]
Most people don't like to think about their own mortality, so they put off estate planning. They're waiting until they're older, they have more time or more money, or they plan a trip to Europe. In fact, a 2019 Caring.com poll found that only 43% of Americans have wills, and a 2017 study by researchers at the Perelman School of [...]
A number of new laws take effect on January 1, 2020. This alert discusses some of the most important of these for small businesses. Oregon Corporate Activity Tax Legislation passed last year adopted a new Corporate Activity Tax (CAT) imposed on all types of businesses, including corporations, partnerships and sole proprietorships. This tax is in addition to the current corporate [...]
We frequently get questions from our clients about requests for payment of registration, publication or renewal fees for corporate, domain name and intellectual property filings. Requests may also be received for monitoring fees or the preparation of minutes. The scam requests typically look like invoices or letters, often containing false due dates or threats about loss of rights if you [...]
Company-sponsored parties are a fun way to build employee morale during the holiday season, but, if you're not careful, they can also result in significant liability. Potential claims include those for sexual harassment, discrimination, and overtime pay. Worse still, you may find your business is liable for an employee's behavior after the party, such as when an employee who becomes [...]
