Barry Yen, So Keung Yip & Sin, SKYS

 

Trade Marks

• Identify your trade marks and logos
• If any logos were designed by their parties ensure that you own the copyright
• Register your trade marks and logos for all the goods and services you offer or intend to offer in all the countries where you do business or intend to do business
• Identify your trade mark rights on goods, packaging and promotional material
• Enforce your trade mark rights against infringers
• Ensure that trade marks are used consistently

Copyright

• There is copyright in brochures, instructional leaflets, advertisements and other printed matter provided they are produced with independent skill, labour and effort
• Ensure that you own the copyright to the works that you commission
• Clarify the ownership of works which you use but which are created by others including consultants
• Identify copyright in all your works with a notice
• Enforce your copyright against infringers
• Respect the copyright and moral rights of others.  Substantial photocopying or reproduction of other people's works without permission is an offence

Designs and Patent

• Register your designs before your disclose, manufacture or sell your products
• Identify your design and patent rights with a notice
• Enforce your design and patent rights against infringers

Personal Data

• Be familiar with provisions relating to the collection and use of personal data
• Develop a data policy

Software

• No unauthorized copies of software in the workplace
• Music on hold
• Pay royalties for use of music on hold on your telephone system
• Pay royalties for music playing in your retail stores or other places of business open to the public

Taxation

• Consider whether you can structure your intellectual property rights to reduce assessable income

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This checklist has been prepared to highlight some of the main intellectual property issues which can exist in your business.  The list is not meant to be exhaustive and some industries (e.g. contract manufacturers, publishers) have an additional set of problems.  Please contact Barry Yen on (852) 2230 9012 (p) if your have any questions about your intellectual property rights.

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Copyright 1997
So Keung Yip & Sin - SKYS
Barry Yen