Most people believe that registering a business name means they own that business name – this is not the case in Australia. To obtain the exclusive right to use your business name, you need to register it as a trademark or prove that you hold a trademark at common law.
In today’s modern economy all businesses rely heavily on their intellectual property (or ‘IP’). Whether you realise it or not, your employees are using or generating some form of IP each and every day they are at work. But what happens when your employee walks out the door (or is pushed)? Have you taken the necessary steps to ensure your IP remains behind?
This is a lawyer’s blog, what do you think the answer is going to be…?! Read on anyway if you’re not yet convinced.
Most people realise the importance of protecting their Intellectual Property. But ‘ideas’ and ‘concepts’ aren’t a form of IP, as there is no ‘property’ capable of being protected. Don’t despair, there are ways to protect and exploit your interests.
Losing an employee, whether by dismissal or resignation, is never easy. But it’s even harder when the employee walks out the door with a head (and possibly a briefcase or USB) full of your confidential information.