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Division of Continuing and Global Education

Protecting Your Ideas: Intellectual Property Law for Entrepreneurs

Learn how to protect your ideas with a basic understanding of intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, the differences between these types of intellectual property and steps that may be taken to protect such property.

This three-hour workshop will define intellectual property and discuss patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, including:

  • types of patents, the legal requirements for obtaining a patent, deadlines for filing a patent, the duration of patent rights, how to apply for a patent, and what happens after an application is filed;
  • trademarks, trademark classifications, eligibility for federal and state registration of trademarks, benefits of registration, domain names as trademarks, the process of trademark registration, and the duration of trademarks;
  • copyright protection for certain works of authorship and art, works made for hire, the duration of copyrights, use of the copyright symbol, registration of copyrights, and fair use of other's copyrighted materials; and
  • the distinction between trade secrets and patents; what qualifies as a trade secret, advantages and disadvantages of trade secret protection over patenting, how to protect trade secrets, and trade secret laws.

Date:  Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Time: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Location: Kremen Education, Room 140, Fresno State campus

Fee: $125. Class No. 50685. Register by July 29, 2015.

Instructor:  Sherrie Flynn, J.D., of Coleman & Horowitt, represents clients in intellectual property registration and enforcement, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights.  She also represents clients in business, real estate and construction, and serves on the board of the Central Valley Business Incubator.

To download a registration form (PDF), click here.

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