7 Intellectual Property Resources Every Freelancer Should Know About

Photo by F.S.M..

Intellectual property (IP) law is a big, nasty, confusing world–one long-time blogger on copyright law and issues recently shut down his blog, partly because “the current state of copyright law is too depressing.” But if you’re a creative, innovative freelancer, and you’d like to protect the materials you create–your original writing, music, software, artwork or designs–this stuff is really important. How do you navigate the murky waters of copyright and intellectual property law? Where do you go for information? Do you need a lawyer? What do you have to do to protect your original creations?

There’s no easy way around the fact that you’ve got some reading to do, but there are some very helpful resources on the Web that can help you sift through the legal jargon and perhaps even glean something useful, even if it’s merely a basic understanding of the issues and terminology, so that you can speak intelligently with an attorney about this stuff. Here are some of the best ones I’ve found:

Electronic Frontier Foundation: Intellectual Property

The EFF has been on the front lines of copyright and IP law for a long time, and they pay pretty close attention to what’s going on. You’ll find current case law summaries, white papers, news articles and more at this site.

Wikipedia: Intellectual Property

If you want a basic introduction and definition of terms, the Wikipedia article on IP is a good place to start. It can also lead you to other information about more specific issues you might face, such as trademarks, trade names, patents, and the like.

The IP Mall–Pierce Law Center

The IP Mall provides a huge library of articles and links on intellectual property, copyright, technology transfer, and many other issues. You’ll have to drill down a bit to find the materials you’re looking for, but it’s definitely worth a look.

Clemson University–Glossary of Intellectual Property Terms

When you’re learning about IP and copyright issues, learning the lingo is really important, and this very thorough glossary of terms will help you learn how to communicate intelligently with a lawyer.

US Patent and Trademark Office and Small Business and StopFakes.gov

The USPTO provides a variety of resources and a wealth of information for small businesses dealing with IP, copyright, patent, and trademark issues. Their main page on intellectual property is filled with resources related to securing patents, copyright, trademarks, etc., and the StopFakes page is concerned with how to protect your creations from pirates and counterfeiters. There are many downloadable resources here.

Managing the Digital Enterprise: Intellectual Property

Professor Michael Rappa of North Carolina State University has created an “open educational resource” (basically an online course) on management issues for those who work in the digital enterprise, and the chapter on IP contains a wealth of information–links to papers and articles, podcasts, and more.

Findlaw: Intellectual Property

If you’re a lawyer, the Findlaw page on intellectual property is a great place to find all of the resources you need to help a client with intellectual property questions or issues. Even if you’re not a lawyer, this resource will help you get up to speed on what’s happening in the field.

Catch more freelancing advice and wisdom at Doug’s blog Underpants Office.