Idea Rights

Idea Rights presents a concise and accurate view of United States intellectual property law for the interested general reader, for attorneys, and for classes that introduce or otherwise cover the material. It contains seven chapters: 1) Intellectual Property in general, 2) Patents, 3) Copyrights, 4) Trademarks, 5) Trade Secrets, 6) Other Legal Theories, and 7) Policy. The book includes an Appendix that presents a special Internet case study.

Each chapter examines major statutes and cases, making the reader fully aware of context, then concludes with a one-page reference table summarizing the law. The book presents numerous relevant photos, exhibits from legal documents, and other illustrations relevant to understanding the issues.

This book emphasizes application of the law in actual situations. Its coverage follows the analytical thinking done by lawyers in all phases of intellectual property problem solving. Each chapter analyzes the development of the law and areas of application, such as protection of software and controversies over the use of the Internet. Reading Idea Rights will demonstrate the power of intellectual property in the United States and the world.

Idea Rights does not become "out of date." The book is designed to provide analysis and concepts that will hold value over time. Nevertheless, the author will be posting new and relevant information periodically at the Idea Rights webpage.

"[A]n excellent text for students, scholars, legal professionals, and the general public. With its practical examples, illustrations, and case studies, laypeople will find it very readable. Others will appreciate its incorporation of tables of principal legal authorities and numerous footnotes, mostly referring to case law. ...Suggestions for legal alternatives and changes are put forward as ways to balance private versus public interest. Readers will find that the impact of the Internet permeates this volume. The appendix is an Internet case study with excerpts of documents from the Perfect 10 v. Google court case." — CHOICE Magazine, March 2012