Does copyright apply to contracts?

It depends on the type of contract. A contract written from scratch may be eligible for copyright protection. But, a contract made from a pre-existing template with only a few details changed here and there will not be eligible for protection.

Copyright Law Firm in Vietnam

Coming to your question, it depends on who is the actual author of the contract. If you wrote the contract and are not bound by any confidentiality clause, you can go ahead and use it for your own purposes (including distribution).

Even if someone else wrote it, the answer will remain more or less similar. A contract signed by you can be used for your own purposes but you cannot claim copyright in that contract.

If you use and distribute a contract written by someone else claiming it as your own, it will be a case of violation of copyright.

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Does "Property Law" include "Intellectual Property Law" or are the two areas separate?

They are separate, and largely different forms of law. Most of what is commonly referred to as "property law" deals with what is called real property; real estate, land, etc.   However, it does have some aspects of dealing with tangible personal property (which also overlaps with tort and criminal law)

Protecting Intellectual Property Rights

Intellectual property is a significantly different form of law drawing on other areas (notably unfair competition law, especially for trademarks; law of agency; business law; etc.) but is fundamentally its own "thing."

A notable example of the difference is the phrase "Possession is 9/10ths of the law." This may be true in property law, where a possessor has superior rights to most everybody but the true owner. However, it would fall flat in IP, where your status as the legal rightsholder is the most important question.

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How easy is it to register a trademark?

Honestly, you could probably figure it out on your own. However, particularly when dealing with IP issue, there are certain fears/concerns about protecting all of your rights. Of the many reasons to hire a lawyer for a TM, here are few...

Register trademark in Vietnam

1. The process can be complex and lengthy. You are most likely focused on developing your company and are probably working full-time in that capacity. Taking up this task on your own can really limit your ability to focus on your company.

2. The research and background work required for TM's is also exhaustive and can be tricky. Although you may be able to do this yourself, there is a chance you might make a mistake, overlook something, or simply take a path that is not the best for your company. A lawyer is a safe-guard against these problems.

3. Hiring a lawyer who is business savvy and well-versed in your particular industry cannot only help you with your TM, but can also develop a strong business plan moving forward. IP is a particularized field, and getting a lawyer on board who has helped similar clients in the past with IP issues can make a HUGE difference for your business.

If you want to find a lawyer, you should check out our site ANTLawyers.vn. You can connect with the trademark attorneys in Vietnam on our legal platform 24/7. We offer free consultations and price quotes so check us out!

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How do most companies protect their software through intellectual property law?

Source code could potentially be a trade secret for a software company, but in order to qualify for protection it would have to be actively guarded and not disclosed to anyone outside of the company. Trade secret protection is really for something like a secret recipe that has great value to the company solely because it is a secret known only by the company.

 Software Compliance Law Firm in Vietnam

A copyright is thebetter form of protection for software. As far as understanding what has been copyrighted — copyrights exist as soon as the work is fixed in a medium. So, any work (here, software) that you see has an implicit copyright on the original aspects of the work. The question of what parts of the work are original and thus protected by the copyright is a legal question that should be answered by an Intellectual Property Lawyers.

For that reason most companies will have copyrights on their software to some extent. Patents on software are more difficult to obtain than copyrights for a couple of reasons. First, the patent application process requires a strict review to ensure that the application meets the requirements — as opposed to a copyright which exists as soon as an author puts pen to paper. Second, patents are generally reserved for tangible inventions. It is possible that software can qualify for a patent, but it is much harder to show.

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What works are protected by copyright registration?

What is copyright?  

Copyright is the right of authors to control the use of their work for a limited period of time. In order to qualify for copyright protection, a work must be “fixed in a tangible medium of expression.” A work must be the result of some creative effort on the part of its author in order to qualify for copyright protection. For works first published after March 1, 1989, an author need not include a copyright notice to gain protection under the law. However, although a notice is not required, it’s helpful if you obtain one. When a work contains a valid copyright notice, an infringer cannot claim in court that s/he wasn’t aware the work was copyrighted. Thus, an author has a greater chance to win a copyright infringement case and spend much less litigating in the process if s/he has a copyright notice.

Copyright in Vietnam 

If a work is created on or after January 1, 1978 then it is protected for a term of the life of the author plus 70 years. However, if the work is a work for hire or is published under a pseudonym, the copyright lasts between 95 and 120 years, depending on the date the work is published.

Protected Works

A work becomes copyrighted when it is fixed in a tangible medium of expression. There are categories of work that fall under this definition:

Literary works

Musical works, including the accompanying words

Dramatic works, including the accompanying music

Pantomimes and choreographic works

Pictorial, graphic and sculptural works

Motion pictures and other audiovisual works

Sound recordings

Computer software

Architectural works

Not copyrightable:

Works not fixed in a tangible form of expression (ex. something said but not recorded)

Ideas, methods, principles and systems

Titles, names, and slogans

Works found in the public domain

Works that are strictly informational and contain no authorship

If you're looking for an affordable copyright attorney, check out ANTlawyers.vn. ANTlawyers.vn was established to meet these needs by providing fast, effective and economical solutions. Hope that clears things up a bit. Feel free to message me directly to chat further about any other IP questions that you face.

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Can I create a brand name that contains another brand name?

I’ll echo what others are saying—this is a bad plan. An established brand name is going to have trademark protections and will have no problem proving that they were already situated in the market long before you. Trademark law relies heavily on what the consumer thinks. If a consumer I confused by your brand name then it will only lead to problems. 

Register trademark in Vietnam

Your best option is to create a unique brand name. It may take a little more time and thought, but it’s possible.

If you have more questions about IP law, then you should consult an attorney. ANTLawyers.vn can put you in touch with a seasoned Intellectual Property lawyers in Vietnam that can help you with the process of trademarking your own brand name. Check out our website and get in touch if you’d like to set up a consultation.

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What is the importance of intellectual property rights?

Intellectual property protection is extremely important. When it comes to protecting Intellectual property  two areas of protection should be taken in account:

1.protecting your liability

2.protecting your intellectual property (IP)

Liabilities like the terms and conditions prevent claims initiated by people who use your website. The other liability known as privacy policy is legally required for websites that collect user data. Protecting your intellectual property (IP) requires confidentiality agreement. Every employee, developers and programmers should sign a non-disclosure agreement in order to avoid disclosure of trade secrets, in case they are involved in your website development. IP assignment agreement is also essential for the protection of intellectual property (IP) when you hire people to work on your website.

Intellectual Properties Rights in Vietnam

Among the assets of intellectual property protection a patent is the most expensive and complex form of protection. A patent helps to prevent others from exploiting the owner’s invention. It is a territorial right exclusively applicable in the area or geographical region where a patent has been granted. It is highly recommended that you consult a patent attorney if you’re going to head in this direction.

intellectual property protection asset like a trademark is a sign that can distinguish a good or a service of an enterprise from the other. It is protected by intellectual property rights registered with a national or regional office of emblem, in order to confer an exclusive right to use the registered logo.

Copyright is the legal term that describes the rights of the creators on their creative inventions that could be a design, a painting; literary work etc. in simple words copyright protects the work of a creator.

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