Leading Copyright Lawyers

Copyright arises automatically on creation and does not need to be specifically registered in the UK or Europe.

There is a common misapprehension that including the copyright symbol on an item has some legal significance. It doesn’t except to the extent that it puts the viewer or reader on notice that copyright is being asserted. To that extent, it is useful and worth including in most cases.

Copyright confers the right of the owner to prevent others from copying their work. It does not stifle the independent creation of works.

It is vital to keep records of your creative process when undertaking or creating new works in case of theft or copying. In software, you should include “footprints”, such as a deliberate mistake that can uniquely identify you as the author. Electronic imagery and videos should have watermarks or comments to assert ownership. When working on any new work you should keep a full dated record of all your background work from the first scribbles on the back of an envelope to the finished piece.

All of the above will help protect your rights in the case of an infringement, which is where our specialist copyright protection solicitors can step in to help…

As copyright arises automatically on the creation of a piece of work, i.e. without any formal registration process, a person or organisation infringes copyright if they copy your work wholly or substantially.

In some cases, copying is obvious, but most cases that end up in court are not so clear. There is no hard and fast rule to proving copyright infringement; that’s why it’s vital to seek experienced legal advice as soon as possible when you suspect that your work has been copied.

Our copyright infringement lawyers have dealt with many cases of both clear and unclear copying. We can offer a useful insight into the court process, assess the opponent and the potential loss, and then recommend the right enforcement action to protect your brand.

Alternatively, if you’ve received a copyright infringement letter, i.e. another party believes you have infringed their copyright, then we can review and advise on your case. If you have a good legal case for defending the claim, we can lead that process for you.