What is the Most Common Type of Intellectual Property Dispute?

Intellectual property is becoming more and more valuable and protecting intellectual property rights is becoming more important—and more difficult—as time goes by. The rise of the Internet is a major force behind the increase in intellectual property disputes.

The most common type of intellectual property dispute is infringement. Infringement occurs when intellectual property is used or appropriated without the owner’s permission by another. Infringement can apply to many categories of intellectual property. There can be copyright infringement, patent infringement and trademark infringement.

Some common ways that infringement occurs are:

  • Making copies of musical recordings, movies and other media and distributing them for profit without the copyright owner’s consent.
  • Using the logo for one product on a different product of the same nature as the first product.
  • Creating a logo or otherwise marketing a product in a manner so similar to a competing product that the result is to cause consumers to think they are purchasing the original product.
  • Manufacturing a patented item or process by following the information listed in the patent without having a license from the patent owner.

An intellectual property dispute can also arise through corporate espionage, such as bribing an employee of a competing company to disclose the competitor’s secret client list.

Contact Our Experienced Intellectual Property Attorney Now!

If you are involved with, or think that you may soon be involved in, an intellectual property dispute, you need to contact an IP lawyer right away. The sooner you have the help of an experienced intellectual property attorney, the more likely it is that your dispute can be resolved favorably. Waiting costs more time and money and may cost you your IP rights. Call us today!