If you are doing business in Utah, you may have ideas you want to protect under Utah 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 are ideas owned by you exclusively. Although your intellectual property is protected under intellectual property law from the moment you create it, register it under Utah IP law 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 Utah IP law are:

1. 1. Trademark, for trade names or logos.

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

3. 3. Patent, for unique inventions, dictated by patent law in Utah.

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

Choose the best protection under intellectual property law in Utah

To protect your IP, 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 Utah. 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 Utah Intellectual Property Law to protect your business

Although intellectual property, in general, is registered at the federal level, you may 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 with the state of Utah with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code.

Find an intellectual property law firm in Utah to guide you

It's wise to consult with an Utah intellectual property attorney for advice about protecting your IP. Patent law in Utah has nuances that are often best left to intellectual property law firms in Utah that are familiar with filing your type of technology.

I recommend: See attorneypages.com for patent law services in Utah. Understand the obligations of trademarks in Utah by reviewing Title 70 of the Utah Code at the Utah State Legislature website, or learn more about trademarks and locate attorneys to assist you at TrademarkUtah.com.

Learn about the new electronic registration mark under intellectual property law in Utah

Utah recently passed The Utah Trademark Protection Act, which allows you to register an electronic registration mark. This new type of mark prevents online keyword use by anyone else that would trigger competitive search results or results deemed to cause confusion to your mark.

I recommend: Because this act is so new, the mechanism for registering is not yet established. Keep checking the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code for updated information. Learn more about this new type of trademark at The Senate Site's Guest Blog.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Protect yourself under UT intellectual property law by forming an internal committee to categorize and address all of the IP your business has.