What is The Difference Between a Copyright and a Trademark?

Protecting your intellectual property is crucial if you are to earn the profits of your hard work and intellectual labor. At Markoff Leinberger, our attorneys understand the intricacies of copyright and trademark law and know how to protect your rights.

Clients who come to our Chicago consumer rights lawyers with questions about intellectual property law are often confused by the complex nature of the relevant statutes. This is perfectly understandable.

One of the frequent issues of confusion is the difference between a copyright and a trademark. These terms aren’t interchangeable. Under federal law, a copyright gives you exclusive rights to profit off an original work of art or scholarship, such as music or a novel.

A trademark, on the other hand, protects the identification of a specific product that is part of a larger market. This includes elements such as labeling, product design, logos or slogans. So, for example, a phone company can get a trademark on its specific cell phone so that no one else can use their name or branding, but not on the broad concept of a cell phone.

Our Chicago consumer rights lawyers will explain all the details of the relevant laws, help you understand your rights and answer all of your questions.

If you’re a Chicago, Illinois resident with questions for our consumer rights lawyers, please contact Markoff Leinberger today for a free consultation.

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