The BUSKLAW Newsletter

Where did the idea for this movie come from?  It's amazing what you can find on the internet! At any time (but typically at 4:55 p.m. on a Friday afternoon before a long weekend), you or another senior manager at your company will receive an enthusiastic voicemail, email, or tweet like this: Hi [name]: I'm one of your best customers! I've been buying your widgets for the last 40 years. Recently, I thought of a way you could enhance your product line with a new widget, one that does "X" and looks like "Y." Please call me at XXXXXXXXXX to learn more!  Or visit my website: www.thenextbigthing.com where I have a mock-up of my widget. You won't be sorry! Let's get rich together! "Hmm," you think. "This guy could be on to something. I should contact him and learn what he has in mind." Or, more likely: "we thought of a new widget like this years ago and rejected it." This may sound harsh, but engaging with a pe...

This post is directed to a small Michigan-based technology business with several employees who write code or produce other creative work. Start-up technology businesses may find this post especially relevant; established smaller technology firms may also find this useful. As always, the recommendations in this post should not be taken as legal advice and are simply general guidelines for your consideration. Here are what I consider basic legal protections that you – the astute entrepreneur - should have in place for your technology business from the day that you open the door: Protect Your Intellectual Property . Your creative output may be protected by U.S. patent, copyright, trademark, or trade secret law. Know the basics of these legal protections by reading this excellent article in the February, 2016 issue of the Michigan Bar Journal . Then, find a good intellectual property (I.P.) attorney to discuss the best cost-effective ways to protect your valuable I.P. assets....