Practice Areas
Trademarks, copyrights and patents are forms of intellectual property. Just like personal property, they can be assigned (transferred), sold or licensed (leased), both exclusively (sole tenant), or non-exclusively (simultaneous users) and or restricted to use in certain geographic areas.
One of the most common errors made by trademark owners is the failure to learn and follow important rules of usage of a mark in marketing and advertising materials, which can lead to loss of valuable property rights in trademarks and the good will they represent. Beverly Hills trademark lawyer Cheryl Hodgson works with each client to ensure proper trademark use through education and monitoring. Cheryl is passionate about teaching clients how to select, use, register and enforce their brands, through BRANDAIDE™. Cheryl created BRANDAIDE™ as a knowledge base offering vital information to her clients and their professional advisors, such as marketing companies, advertising agencies, and content developers. BRANDAIDE’s mission is to become the “go to” pot of gold for knowledge and information needed by brand owners. We help INSURE that clients learn the basics of building a valuable, legally protectible brand through knowledge, and access to a world wide team of experts available exclusively to BRANDAIDE clients and affiliates.
A trademark symbolizes good will, often the most important asset of any business. A trademark is a word, symbol, or device used to distinguish a product or service from those of its competitors. It signifies the goodwill of a business built up through advertising and usage. When a business is sold, good will is often the most valuable asset of the business. Our lawyers can help you or your business establish a strong portfolio of trademarks which serve as “good will” ambassadors for your business.
Protection of domain names is now linked to protection of trademarks. Trademark registration is available for domain names used to promote goods and services on the Internet, and is critical where competitors routine use trademarks of others in meta data, and in domains filled with “pay per click” ads calculated to divert traffice from the lawful owner of the brand. Companies often invest huge amounts of money creating and promoting their Web sites but don’t adequately protect their domain names, believing that simply securing a domain name registration is sufficient. With the proliferation of word search technology, emerging issues include auctioning of trademarks as "ad words" by search engines to competitors, free speech issues involving using of celebrity names in domains and sites to criticize or challenge others. Is this free speech, or an infringement of trademark rights or right of publicity? Is a parked landing page filled with ads for a trademark owner’s competitors illegal?
As a professional, the creative expression of your ideas makes you money, whether that expression is in the form of words, music, sound recording, sculpture, photography, or an architectural plan. The Hodgson Law Group advises copyright owners in matters such as copyright protection and clearance, copyright licensing, buying or selling copyrighted properties, and management of copyrights, which include royalty income.
Trustees of estates, financial advisors and estate planning professionals should seek the advice of a copyright lawyer when representing estates that include royalty income from any copyrighted work such as music, books, film and television. Our lawyers advise copyright owners, heirs, and estate planning attorneys in copyright renewal claims and the recapture of copyrights through termination.
More and more companies are finding creative ways to license trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property. These functions are critical to franchising and extending your brand to other countries and markets. Our attorneys help clients value and protect intellectual property through licensing. Use of trademarks by a sound program of licensing can build and leverage a brand world wide.
Whether you are starting a winery, a record label, a band, a software company, or any other business venture, may first need to form a business entity. Choosing the right business entity can protect you from personal liability, serve as an estate planning vehicle, and a tax planning device.
If you are a music publisher, record label, songwriter, musician, artist, photographer, actor, or writer, legal representation can give a distinct advantage during negotiations. Lawyer Cheryl Hodgson began her career as a licensed AFM talent agent at age 20, and was an artist manager with Bill Graham Presents. Since 1989 Cheryl has been involved in a number of major music industry litigation matters. Ms. Hodgson’s prior business experience is invaluable to understanding the practical, business needs of her entertainment law clients.
The principals of Canto Novo Music have been protecting the rights of songwriters and recording artists for over 25 years. Canto Novo was formed with the vision of creating a home for Latin composers, to provide copyright and music publishing administration services. Canto Novo provides assistance in securing copyright registrations, issuing licenses, and collection of royalty income.
