COPYRIGHT

An overview of Copyright

Copyright applies to literary, musical or artistic works in their very widest sense, e.g. written text, graphics, artwork, drawings and sketches, data compilations and software are all Copyright works. As an Intellectual Property right, Copyright protection exists automatically and protects the author of the works against actual copying. Unfortunately Copyright will not protect the author against somebody else independently creating identical or closely similar works.

Copyright protection usually exists for life of author plus a further 70 years although the pre-existing 50-year protection period still applies for some works.

It is worth noting that if not established by a legally-binding written contract, Copyright ownership may end up with someone who was never intended to own it!