If you are doing business in Nevada, you may have ideas you want to protect under Nevada Intellectual Property Law. This protection allows you to reap the full benefits of your business concepts and prevents others from unfairly using them.

“Intellectual property" refers to ideas that are owned by you as an individual or as a company. Although your intellectual property is protected under intellectual property law from the moment you create it, register to create an official record of your ideas and more easily protect them should a conflict ever arise

The 3 most common forms of intellectual property under Nevada IP law are:

1. Trademark, for trade names or logos.

2. Copyright, for artistic works such as published work.

3. Patent, for unique inventions dictated by intellectual property law in Nevada.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose the best protection under NV intellectual property law

To protect your intellectual property, first decide what type it is. Trademarks refer to a name, phrase, or logo that identifies your business. It can include words only, a particular look or font or even a color scheme. A copyright protects the specific form in which your ideas are recorded and is used to protect literary and artistic works. Finally, patents protect your inventions and are used for physical devices or abstract concepts, such as computer software algorithms or business methods.

I recommend: Start with the Intellectual Property Center of FindLaw, which outlines the basics of intellectual property and offers a wide menu of topics to help you begin to register your intellectual property in Nevada. The Intellectual Property Resource Center of Netpreneur is also an excellent resource for your initial research. Review the helpful information at the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office.

Register under intellectual property laws in Nevada to protect your business

Although copyrights and patents are, in general, registered at the federal level, you can also register trademarks at the state level. It is essential for your small business to patent your ideas or register your trademarks or copyrights. This allows your small business to access the full power of the courts in protecting your valuable assets.

I recommend: Check the Trademark Electronic Search System to ensure your proposed trademark is not registered, then register online through the Trademark Electronic Application System. For your copyright, register through the United States Copyright Office. Register your trademark in Nevada with the Nevada Secretary of the State.

Find Nevada intellectual property attorneys to help you

It may be in your best interest to consult with intellectual property lawyers in Nevada for advice about protecting your intellectual property. Nevada patent law, including Nevada escrow laws, has nuances that are often best left to patent law services in Nevada that are familiar with filing your type of technology.

I recommend: To find a Nevada intellectual property lawyer, visit Lawyers.com or see Justia for a NV intellectual property lawyer. Review Chapter 600 of the Nevada Revised Statutes to understand Nevada trademark law and read useful articles about Nevada trademarks at DirectoryM.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Your trademark, registered under Nevada patent law, is valid for 5 years, so plan on electronically renewing it at least a month prior to its expiration.