Final Project: Rule of Law

You could say I was seeking legal advice on what to know about running a multimedia company. That’s what all my questions were geared towards. One thing that John said that stuck out to me the most was, “…have a good partner, and get a good lawyer.” The latter half stuck out to me because this is a phrase the Professor Pinto preaches in class, and rightfully so. That is what it all boils down to. I would need a lawyers versed in patent law. I would need a person who knew about patent trolls, which is, “…a disparaging term for someone who sues for patent infringement but who does not make or sell any products using the patented technology.”(Stim) I would need this so I could be protect myself from those who are, “…in the business of suing companies, not in the business of making or selling anything.”(Stim) The law is ever changing and it is a lawyer’s job to learn about these changes and be aware of them. For instance, the Copyright Act: 402 apply to my field of study. “This statute governs, how, when, where, and why to place a copyright on a phono-record.”(Stim) A phono-record is, “…the media on which sounds are fixed for the purpose of distribution essentially, and reproduction.”(Stim) John also encouraged me to be aware of the laws, regulations  rights, and protections granted to me. Something as simple as knowing the different type of copyright licenses could be a start. Like the nonexclusive license. “A copyright owner grants a nonexclusive license when the owner authorizes another person or institution to exercise one or more of the rights to the owner under the copyright on a shared basis.” (Stim) Also, it could be something as easy as knowing the notice of copyright. “For works published in the United States after March 1, 1989, no such copyright notice is required for copyright protection within the United States.” (Stim) I learned from John the different business types and what those entail. I also learned more about the fair use concept from the interview. “As a practical matter, fair use is primarily an affirmative defense to a claim of copyright infringement.” (Stim)