Copyright Infringement Matters

• Discussion of alleged unauthorised use of creative material and the background to the dispute.
• Review of the original work, the material complained of and available ownership or permission records.
• Consideration of correspondence, commercial concerns and possible responses appropriate to the facts.

A useful consultation focuses on what was copied, who is involved, what permission may have been given and what you hope to achieve. You may want the use to stop, the parties to discuss permission, or the dispute to be addressed through another appropriate route. The lawyer can consider these aims against the available documents before discussing the next step.

Prepare copies of the original material, available creation files and dates, and examples of the disputed use. Record website addresses, screenshots and the dates on which material was found. Bring relevant employment, commissioning, assignment or licence documents, together with any previous communications. Explain who created the work and how it came to be used in the business; assumptions about ownership should be identified rather than treated as established facts.

• ✓Existing DocumentsRelevant agreements, applications, notices and records concerning copyright infringement matters.
• ✓Supporting InformationCorrespondence, identification details and any documents referred to in your initial discussion.
• ✓Chronology and PrioritiesKey dates, steps already taken, outstanding concerns and the assistance you wish to discuss.