If you are doing business in Tennessee, you may have ideas you want to protect under Tennessee 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 TN 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 Tennessee.

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

Choose the best protection under intellectual property law in Tennessee

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 Tennessee. 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 your intellectual property under TN intellectual property law to protect your business

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. Although intellectual property, in general, is registered at the federal level, you can also register trademarks at the state level. A trademark registered in Tennessee costs $20 and takes 3 days to process, while a federal trademark registration costs $320 and may take up to a year to process.

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. Review the USPTO Fee Information to find applicable registration fees. Register your trademark under Tennessee IP law at the Tennessee Department of State.

Find a Tennessee intellectual property law firm to help you

It may be in your best interest to consult with intellectual patent attorneys in Tennessee for advice about protecting your intellectual property under Tennessee IP law. Tennessee patent laws, including Tennessee escrow laws, have nuances that are often best left to intellectual property law firms in Tennessee that are familiar with filing your type of technology.

I recommend: To find a Tennessee IP law firm, visit Lawyers.com or see Justia for Tennessee intellectual property lawyers. Learn more about trademarks law in TN at the Tennessee Board of Regents.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Registration with Tennessee under Tennesee IP law ensures access to state courts, which in a given lawsuit might be advantageous. Don't rely only on federal registration if you are doing business in Tennessee.