Copyrights

Protection for the creative work performed by our clients’ employees can be a critical element of their success. The significant investment of time and resources our clients make in computer software, creative design, written materials, recordings and the like warrants the most stringent level of protection available.

At Brooks Kushman, we are experienced in providing a broad range of copyright services—from perfecting copyright registrations and helping companies formulate policies designed to avoid charges of infringement, to litigating on behalf of copyright owners and defending against infringement claims. We also help clients put in place employment policies and procedures designed to ensure that the rights in employee work product are properly assigned to the client, and we can help structure work-for-hire agreements.

In addition, our attorneys provide the services clients need to maximize the value of their creative work, developing licensing arrangements and other contractual assignments of copyrights. Of course, we can assist on the other side of the table as well, negotiating and structuring agreements that allow our clients to acquire the rights of others.

Brooks Kushman can also help clients secure protection for their rights abroad, working with our global network of foreign associates to provide a full range of services, including the litigation of disputes.

  • Brooks Kushman Shareholders Erica Klein and Anna Robinson Published in ABA Landslide Publication on Combating Online Infringement
    Thursday, April 02, 2020

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Brooks Kushman shareholders Erica Klein and Anna Robinson published an article for the American Bar Association’s Landslide® publication. Their article, “Combating Online Infringement: Real World Solutions for an Evolving Digital World,” they discuss how the rapid evolution of the internet-based technology in the past decade has introduced unprecedented...

  • Brooks Kushman Earns Gold Honors In World Trademark Review 1000 Listing
    Monday, January 25, 2016

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Brooks Kushman has been recognized as a gold-standard trademark firm for the second year by Intellectual Asset Management’s (IAM) annual World Trademark Review 1000, a guide that recognizes the world’s top trademark law firms and practitioners in key jurisdictions. Of the Michigan firms listed in the directory,...

  • Brooks Kushman Hosts Women in IP Global Networking Event
    Thursday, May 14, 2015

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Brooks Kushman, Michigan’s largest intellectual property (IP) law firm, will host the American Intellectual Property Law Association’s (AIPLA) 2015 Cross-Country Women in IP Networking Event for the Detroit region. This is the fourth year that Brooks Kushman will host the event, which will take place May 21 from 6-9 p.m. at MEX...

  • Brooks Kushman Hosts Michigan's First Event to Help Girl Scouts Earn IP Patch
    Monday, March 23, 2015

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Brooks Kushman hosted an event on Saturday, March 21, 2015 for Girl Scouts in the Heart of Michigan Troop to earn their IP Patch. During the event, held at the Ypsilanti Ann Arbor Regional Center, Girl Scouts heard from six Brooks Kushman attorneys on the IP tools...

  • Brooks Kushman Adds Three Associates
    Wednesday, June 18, 2014

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Brooks Kushman, intellectual property (IP) and technology law firm, welcomes three new attorneys to the firm. David Coppiellie, Laura Ernst and Richard Leach will each join the firm as associates. Mr. Coppiellie is a registered patent attorney and focuses his practice on preparing and prosecuting patent applications in...

  • Brooks Kushman Announces Addition of Senior Attorney
    Tuesday, April 22, 2014

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Building upon the firm`s expertise, Brooks Kushman, P.C. has hired Gary Donohue as a Senior Attorney. Donohue brings a wealth of expertise to better serve Brooks Kushman`s clients in the automotive and financial industries. Prior to joining Brooks Kushman, Donohue oversaw all aspects pertaining to trademarks, copyrights and...

  • Four Brooks Kushman Attorneys Recognized as “2014 Top Lawyers”
    Tuesday, November 05, 2013

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Recognized as leading Detroit lawyers, four Brooks Kushman attorneys were named to Dbusiness magazine`s “2014 Top Lawyers” list. Firm President Mark A. Cantor, Shareholder John M. Halan, Shareholder Kristin L. Murphy, and Associate Brian C. Doughty were all named to the Metro Detroit list. “Kristin, John, Brian and...

  • Four Brooks Kushman Shareholders Named 2013 Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars
    Wednesday, September 04, 2013

    Firm also recognized as a “highly recommended” Michigan IP law firm SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Four Brooks Kushman P.C. Shareholders have been honored as Michigan IP Stars for 2013 by Managing Intellectual Property magazine. Firm President Mark A. Cantor and shareholders Frank A. Angileri, Elizabeth F. Janda and Robert C.J. Tuttle were named...

  • Brooks Kushman Publishes Sixth Edition of Intellectual Property Primer Covering the Latest Changes in the IP Landscape
    Tuesday, August 06, 2013

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Intellectual property (IP) has changed more in the last 10 years than ever before. To provide a basic understanding of the various aspects of current IP law, Brooks Kushman P.C. has issued the Sixth Edition of its IP Primer. The guide is written to help those who...

  • Brooks Kushman Hires Industry Veteran Daniel Stock, Enhances Corporate Transactions Expertise
    Thursday, February 01, 2007

         Brooks Kushman announced today that Daniel M. Stock, former in-house counsel at Ford Motor Co., has recently joined the law firm. The announcement was made by Ernie L. Brooks, president and founding partner.     Stock – who has practiced intellectual property (IP) law for nearly 35 years – has significant experience...

    • U.S. Supreme Court Rules Copyright Registration Required to Sue for Infringement
      Tuesday, March 05, 2019

      The U.S. Supreme Court ruled yesterday that a copyright owner must first obtain a copyright registration from the Copyright Office prior to filing a complaint for infringement of that work. This resolves a long-standing federal circuit court split regarding whether the Copyright Office must grant copyright registration before a copyright...

    • Supreme Court Expands Copyright Protection
      Friday, March 24, 2017

      On March 22, 2017, the Supreme Court established a standard for determining whether a design element incorporated into a useful article can be protected as a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work under the Copyright Act. The Court ruled that a feature is eligible for copyright protection if it “(1) can...

      • Four Brooks Kushman Lawyers Named to 2013 Super Lawyers List; Ten Attorneys Honored as Rising Stars
        Friday, September 06, 2013

        SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Brooks Kushman P.C. is proud to announce that several of the firm`s attorneys have been named to the 2013 Super Lawyers list for their work in the intellectual property arena. The annual Super Lawyers listing honors outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained...

      • Go Abroad for Cheap Tunes? Global Sites Offer Cheap Music But Questionable Legal Issues
        Wednesday, December 01, 2004

        Digital World MagazineThere are an increasing number of international sites offering music downloads at low prices with few copyright restrictions. Sites based in Russia and Spain claim to be legitimate, but Tom Lewry warns that bargain hunters should beware, “My advice would be stay away from them because you run...

      • Novell Will Pay Some Legal Costs for Linux Customers (Update2)
        Monday, January 12, 2004

        Publication:BloombergThis article notes that Novell Inc. will pay some clients if they are sued for copyright infringement to blunt the impact of threatened suits against Linux users. IBM and Intel pledged to contribute to a defense fund and Hewlett-Packard has agreed to indemnify its customers. Tom Lewry commented that, “The...

      • RIAA Can't Subpoena Identities of File Traders, D.C. Cir. Says
        Tuesday, January 06, 2004

        Publication:Intellectual Property Litigation ReporterA federal appellate court recently ruled that the RIAA cannot obtain the identities of file traders from their ISPs. Tom Lewry commented, "This is obviously going to put a huge monkey wrench" into the RIAA's plans to continue filing lawsuits against individual file traders. “However, the decision...

        • 10 Things to Enhance Brand Protection at U.S. Borders and Ports
          Thursday, August 06, 2020

          A recent report prepared by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) describes the problem of counterfeit and pirated goods as having “intensified to staggering levels.” Statistics in the report detail a 154% increase in counterfeits traded internationally, rising from a value of $200 billion in 2005 to $509 billion...

        • Brooks Kushman Senior Attorney Featured in Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Journal
          Sunday, December 21, 2014

          Brooks Kushman Senior Attorney, Hope Shovein was featured in the Winter 2014 issue of the Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Journal. Hope co-authored the article, “Hey, What’s the Big Idea?! Why Estate Planners Need to Understand the Basics of Intellectual Property,” with estate planning attorney Katie Lynwood.The article discusses the ways...

        • New Resource: Recent Developments in Information Technology Law – Third Quarter 2013
          Thursday, October 17, 2013

          Brooks Kushman patent attorney, Dave Syrowik, recently published a new legal resource titled “Recent Developments in Information Technology Law.” The document overviews key legal cases and opinions for the second quarter of 2013, including relevant cases from the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeal, U.S. District Courts, U.S. Patent...

        • New Resource: Recent Developments in Information Technology Law Second Quarter 2013
          Thursday, July 25, 2013

          Information Technology Law Second Quarter 2013 Brooks Kushman patent attorney, Dave Syrowik, recently published a new legal resource titled “Recent Developments in Information Technology Law.” The document overviews key legal cases and opinions for the second quarter of 2013. To read the full article click here. 

        • New Resource: Recent Developments in Information Technology Law – First Quarter 2013
          Tuesday, March 12, 2013

          Brooks Kushman patent attorney, Dave Syrowik, recently published a new legal resource titled “Recent Developments in Information Technology Law.” The document overviews key legal cases and opinions for the first quarter of 2013, including relevant cases from the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeal, U.S. District Courts, U.S. Patent...

        • The State of the Computer and Internet Law - 2008
          Wednesday, September 10, 2008

           [Read More...]

        • Patent Law Under Siege: What Does it Mean?
          Thursday, August 28, 2008

          Publication:2008-2009 Michigan Business Review[Read More...]

        • Michigan SuperLawyers 2006
          Sunday, September 24, 2006

          Two of our lawyers - Ernie Brooks and Bill Abbatt - were recognized as "SuperLawyers" in the field of Intellectual Property, in the first Michigan SuperLawyers Listing published by Law & Politics, after a multi-step selection process. That process included a survey of all lawyers in Michigan who have been...

        • The State of Computer & Internet Law 2006
          Tuesday, July 25, 2006

          David Syrowik presents a comprehensive review of computer and Internet case law handed down in 2006. [Read More...]

        • Protection of Slogans - Part of Everyday Speech and Related Issues
          Friday, April 09, 2004

          Publication:Oakland County Legal NewsBill Abbatt, a partner at Brooks Kushman, highlights important issues surrounding the protection of slogans, including:- Can you assert exclusive rights to use a slogan that includes words taken from everyday speech?- Does, or should, an outside ad agency undertake a clearance search to ascertain whether the...

        • Protection of Slogans - Part of Everyday Speech
          Thursday, April 08, 2004

          Publication:Detroit Legal NewsBill Abbatt, a partner at Brooks Kushman, highlights important issues surrounding the protection of slogans, including:- Can you assert exclusive rights to use a slogan that includes words taken from everyday speech?- Does, or should, an outside ad agency undertake a clearance search to ascertain whether the slogan...

            • When Business Meets IP: Six Strategies for Mitigating Risk of IP
              Monday, April 30, 2018

              In many businesses, intellectual property assets, including patents, copyrights, trademark, and trade secrets, represent critical assets essential to success in the marketplace. Protecting IP assets often requires careful planning and oversight. Missteps can result in the loss of rights or, in some instances, liability for infringing the IP rights of...