Media Release:

Lawyer says increased use of Google and Facebook by small business is driving a 100% increase in legal advice about protecting ideas

“There has been a 100% increase in the number of small business owners coming to me for advice on intellectual property (“IP”) law in the last year" says Queensland’s Sunshine Coast lawyer Paul Brennan, author of a new book outlining the tricks and traps of IP in everyday business law.  "I believe that web use particularly Google and Facebook has increased awareness of the value of ideas and creative content” he continues.

He warns “But with the opportunities comes risk.  Increasingly, ordinary people and small business owners are coming up with good ideas and sticking them up on the web only to be taken advantage of.  Entrepreneurs get their ideas taken off them, people fight over internet domain names, overseas companies steal other peoples brands, people get caught using other peoples photos, and anything not nailed down can be plagiarised or copied.  You can add this to employees stealing client lists and people jointly producing a book or training materials then arguing about who owns what”  explains Paul Brennan.

His message, which he outlines clearly and with humour in “Easy IP...How to use the law to protect your money-making ideas” is that the IP advice that small business owners are prepared to pay for is very specific and it reduces a vast and complex subject to about four manageable areas:

Client lists: A traditional example of IP law is when an employee leaves to join the competition and takes the client list with them.  This can end up in court in less than two days as the angry business owner needs to act quickly and in the heat of the moment money is no object.

Original Names: Business owners are more ready to fight over brand names that they have created.  If they have not protected their trade names by registering trademarks and domain names they are ready to fight.  For instance, someone else using an internet domain name similar to their business or product name.  In fact, many small business partnerships dissolve in unhappiness due to lack of funds.  In the absence of money sometimes the only thing to fight about is the name.

Plagiarism: Broadly, this can range from your article being copied and used under someone elses name to you copying a graphic or other content from someone elses website and using it in your newsletter or on your website.  Business owner’s often want to know how much they can copy while and at the same time wishing to protect their own creative efforts.  Reputations can be threatened and lost.  Most people would think this should be “P” for “Pirating : the outright copying and sale of your products under your brand name”.  However, this tends not to happen to small business owners.  They are more likely to have their ideas stolen by a larger enterprise.  Although, disputes do arise when competitors ship in products which are very similar.

Your shared content: Joint venturers, consultants and employees may want to claim ownership or joint ownership of any creative work in which they were involved e.g. logos, training materials, software, internet content.   Business owners ask how ownership can be secured?

“Small business owners need to know these things to keep out of trouble as IP disputes can be very expensive” Paul Brennan warns small business owners. 

“People were always interested in hearing about the internet and protecting ideas but the big change is that they are more ready to pay for the practical knowhow than before as they see it as vital to their business” says Paul Brennan. 

The new book and ebook explain what IP is, offers many examples of what can go wrong, plus advice on how best to resolve a legal IP wrangle – or better still, avoid it in the first place.

The Sunshine Coast launch of the book will be on Wednesday 20 October 2010 at an event being held by the Institute of Chartered Accountants where Paul Brennan will speak on Easy IP.

Click here for more information on the book launch event

About the book “Easy IP...How to use the law to protect your money-making ideas”

Everybody wants to think of a great idea that will make them rich. A good indication that you have a great idea is that someone copies it but, by then it can be too late. This is too bad as a lot of the knowhow to protect your ideas is free but buried in a mass of detail and exceptions which most people put in the “too hard” basket. Some protection you must pay for, such as trademarks but it is well worth it, provided it is done properly.

Intellectual Property (“IP”) has been described by the Financial Times as one of the key drivers of business competitiveness in the 21st century. Therefore, a clear understanding is essential not only for creative people or entrepreneurs but for anyone who wants to succeed in business and avoid having their ideas stolen. Using IP law you can cheaply gain ownership of other people’s ideas and then use your business skills to make a killing.

By focusing on the IP legal advice that his small to medium sized business clients have been willing to pay for, Paul Brennan has written a book which will enable you to say “that’s my IP” and at least sound as if you know what you are talking about, which can be the cheapest and most powerful of weapons available to you. Illustrated by legal cartoons drawn by the author this little book combines the qualities of a useful reference book on IP law with wry humour and the odd belly laugh.

Click here for information on the new book Easy IP

About Paul Brennan

Paul Brennan is a business and property lawyer with his own law firm undertaking “deals and disputes”. He is a post-graduate in IP law.

He has gained his experience from a diverse legal career. Having been trained in a Canadian law firm, he went on to be a partner in law firms both in London and Sydney. He has spent 10 years in Asia. He has been a barrister in the Middle Temple in London, as well as working for New Scotland Yard and in IP enforcement for US multi-national, Intel Corporation.

His legal cartoons have appeared in the Australian Financial Review, Hong Kong Tatler, the Proctor and various legal magazines over the years.

He now practises at Brennans solicitors www.brennanlaw.com.au on Queensland, Australia’s Sunshine Coast. An author of several law books http://www.lawanddisorder.com.au/books.html.  An MC, conference and after-dinner speaker, he edits the Law & Disorder Ezine and blogs at www.101reasonstokillallthelawyers.com He is married to Diane, also a lawyer, and they have four children.

Paul Brennan is available for interview. For media enquiries, email paul.brennan@brennanlaw.com.au or call Paul Brennan direct on 0400 150 711 or his office on 617 5438 8199