The law of copyright protects a person’s interest in their work by preventing others from unlawfully exploiting it. Copyright attaches to original literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works; sound recordings, films or broadcasts; and the typographical arrangements of published editions. Original in this context means simply that; there is no requirement for the work to be of any quality provided that it is original. Doodles on a notepad, for example, could be protected by copyright.
Unlike several other forms of intellectual property, copyright arises automatically once a piece of work is created. There is no need to register the work.
Copyright can be used as a tool to:
- Stop the publication of stills from CCTV
- Stop the publication of confidential memos and other documents
- Protect the artwork in a logo (but if the logo was a registered trade mark you would rely on this instead).
Copyright snapshot
| What? |
Copyright protects all work in fixed form eg written words and images as opposed to ideas |
| When? |
It arises at the moment of creation and lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years |
| Why? |
To allow the creator/author to have a period of exclusive use |
Where? |
Internationally most countries recognise and protect copyright foreigners on the same as for their own residents |
| How? |
It exists without the need to register or do anything at all |
Schillings are the leading lawyers in reputation management and brand protection; specialising in defamation and privacy for private clients and corporate organisations. Schillings have a very active dispute resolution department and we also provide family and matrimonial advice to our private client base of high-net worth individuals and celebrities. In addition, our sports department manages work in reputational, regulatory and sports sponsorship matters for some of the highest profile sports stars, brands and clubs.
If you have any queries please contact Schillings on 020 7034 9000 or email us at legal@schillings.co.uk