Copyright Attorney in Chicago

Let’s start simple. What does a copyright attorney do?

The answer is pretty straightforward. They help protect copyrights, a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship as soon as the creator tangibly fixes the work.

The copyright law provides the author with a collection of exclusive rights, which include:

• Reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords
• Prepare derivative works based upon the works
• Distribute copies of the work to the public through selling, or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending
• Perform the work publicly if the work is literary, musical, dramatic, or choreographic. This extends to pantomimes, sculptural works, individual images of a motion picture, or other audiovisual work
• If the work is a sound recording, perform the work publicly through digital audio

These rights apply to protect an author, but the length of coverage depends on the creation of the work. Under current law, works created on or after January 1, 1978, have a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years after the author’s death. In joint works, the term lasts for 70 years after the last surviving author’s death.

Works resulting from works for hire, anonymous or pseudonymous works copyright is 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever is shorter.

Understanding how a copyright works, what it protects, and how you can exercise your rights is important to protecting your creations. Which is where Cool Alex is ready to help. We have extensive industry experience helping authors maintain the legal domain over their original works of authorship.

So, if you would like to learn more about how our copyright attorney solutions can benefit you, please call (312) 236-8500. There, one of our Chicago team members can answer your questions and provide more details regarding our capabilities. Or send us a message by filling out the form found on this page, and we will contact you soon.