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We are making a circuit board (PCB) in the shape of the Grinch and giving it away to employees as a Christmas tree ornament. is it legal to give them away? is it still legal to charge a fee for employees who would want more than one?
Thank you
Andre
answered on Aug 20, 2022
Hello there Andre,
to precisely answer your question it would be necessary to perform some trademark and design clearance search. However trademark purpose is to distinguish the goods or services of one business from another business entity. So if the shape of Grinch is trademark or it is... View More 
I'm under the impression that trademarks are for business recognition so that "Extra thankful this year" trademarked would protect this as say a business slogan similar to "just do it". It would seem that I can still print "Extra thankful this year" as a baby... View More
answered on Aug 20, 2022
Hello there!
Yes, you are free to use, print for your personal use the mentioned slogan.
What is actually prohibited when it comes to trademark is the use of trademark in business in protected jurisdiction territory for protected goods or services.
If you have any... View More
I have created a search engine for users to find coaches, mentors and course creators.
Currently I find the course creator and then create a profile for them that becomes searchable on the site. The profile has a featured image and main image that are both used from that creators Facebook... View More
answered on Aug 20, 2022
Hello there dear Mrs or Mrs,
in this particular case I would say it can be potential copyright infringement and also some other rights infringement.
At first these unless these people grant you permission to be publicly visible on your website, you do not have proper consent to... View More
answered on Aug 20, 2022
Hello there!
The answer for your question depends on some other things, but in general I would say there are many public domain jokes which can be freely used and are freely used by many people, many products and so on (if the joke slogan is not trademarked for instance).
There is... View More
I have an idea for a low budget film where an elderly character is reminiscing about his younger days while looking at some slides or pictures. To save from having to do recreations, I am finding suitable material on eBay. Slides and pics from the 50s-70s mainly. It seems these pics are being... View More
answered on Aug 20, 2022
Hello there,
it seems like there qre many question marks and many questions to be answered first before we can advice you accordingly and precisely.
So to summarize you do not know if these pictures are from who shot them.
According to my jurisdiction if you bought frame... View More
My book includes Monet, Van Gogh, O'Keefe, Caulder and Michelangelo. Am I allowed to use their names and likenesses of their works in my book?
answered on Aug 20, 2022
Yes, you are free to use their names and likenesses of their works. There is no copyright or other related infringment in such action. Actually many book authors across the world do it in their own works about these artists. I hope it answers your question.
Dont they last 10 years? 1 year seems too little to be already paying for renewal
answered on Aug 21, 2022
I just would like to add that some countries may have less than 10 years period of trademark validity. But the general "default" trademark validity period is 10 years with option to renew it for another 10 year period. You can renew it indefinitely as long as you do not miss the renewing... View More
We want to protect our game and not sure what the process is to patent and bring our new game to market with our new business.
answered on Aug 22, 2022
Dear Mrs or Mr,
it depends on type of game you are going to create and make business with. If its board game or PC/console game, different type of strategies of legal protection can be applied. Therefore I would need more details to advice you better and more precisely on this.
I... View More
I have multiple ideas/inventions and i don't know how to explain my ideas to investors to get funding without having a patent to protect my ideas. But I don't have the funding to pay for a lawyer and everything to get a patent. So what could I do to protect myself and my ideas while... View More
answered on Aug 22, 2022
Dear Mrs or Mr,
I would also recommend signing NDA (non-disclosure agreement) everytime you are consulting with investors about your invention. This will give you more safety for your invention for the future.
Every serious investors should accept that and sign such agreement.... View More
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