General:

WSMB's Intellectual Property practice area can help companies devise strategies to protect and maximize the value of their intellectual property via registration practices and policies, acquisitions, sales, distribution contracts and licenses -- and when necessary, litigation to protect those rights. As a result of its varied experience, WSMB has acquired industry-specific legal experience and practical knowledge of technologies, trade custom and terms in the fields of mobile entertainment and services, interactive and online content, software and games development, music, film, television, and book publishing.

Copyright:

The firm has sophisticated experience in all kinds of copyright and content licensing, as well as partnerships and strategic relationships involving copyrighted materials, and our attorneys are equipped to provide advice, negotiate, and draft all types of intellectual property licenses. We ensure that copyright owners protect their ownership interests and that those acquiring content obtain the rights they need to achieve their goals. We can effectively and efficiently advise and take appropriate action with respect to disputes and infringements related to copyrighted works.

Digital Millennium Copyright Act: The proliferation of digital content, in particular user-generated content, has placed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) at the center of the many legal issues facing new media companies. WSMB is highly experienced with the sophisticated legal and technological issues that confront clients whose end users create, upload, share, or use digital content online or through related devices, systems and networks.

Trademarks and Domain Names:

WSMB has extensive U.S. and international trademark experience. Our experience ranges from sophisticated and cost-effective trademark counseling and planning and careful search analysis and screening to diligent prosecution and maintenance and strategic and skilled cease-and desist advice and other dispute and litigation-related services. WSMB attorneys routinely counsel clients with respect to domain name acquisitions and disputes. We provide practical, business-oriented approach to identifying and solving all kinds of trademark problems worldwide.

Trade Secrets and Confidential Information:

Trade secrets are the essence of a company's competitive advantage. WSMB has an experienced group of lawyers to counsel on policies and procedures to protect a company's trade secrets and other confidential information. In advising clients on how to protect their trade secrets and other confidential proprietary information, WSMB's lawyers draft employee and independent contractor confidentiality and IP rights agreements and structure trade secret protection programs and procedures. We work with employers to develop enforceable provisions, assigning rights in inventions and work product developed by employees and contractors that prohibit them from soliciting customers or other employees and using company