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Get Law-Savvy and Protect Your Work

Published

9 years ago

March 23, 2016

INSTORE Staff

While it’s sometimes confusing to distinguish between copyright, trademark and patents, the correct combination can help you protect your intellectual output as a jeweler. Sara Yood, assistant general council for the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, gives you preview of her SMART Show session, Intellectual Property Law for Jewelers.

by Sara Yood, assistant general council for the Jewelers Vigilance Committee

I focused on studying intellectual property in law school, and worked in this field both before and after school. I truly enjoy helping non-lawyers understand the nuances of intellectual property – how to distinguish between them, and how to understand which one will best protect their work.

Briefly: Copyright can protect original designs and drawings; trademark can protect logos, brand names, slogans, and some patterns; and a patent can protect an original invention, such as a new piece of machinery or a new business method.

While it is sometimes confusing to distinguish between these three intellectual property rights, the correct combination can help you protect your intellectual output as a jeweler.

My presentation, Intellectual Property Law for Jewelers (sponsored by the Women’s Jewelry Association), focuses on learning the differences among these three rights, as well as understanding what qualifies for protection, how to go about registering for protection, and some practical application of these laws in the jewelry industry.

There are some things that cannot be protected by intellectual property law, such as the public domain in copyright law and generic terms in trademark law – we’ll review those as well. We’ll also take a quick detour into publicity rights (the right of celebrities to control their likenesses) and how they affect advertising your products to the public.

I strongly encourage you to come armed with questions or to send questions in advance to me at sara@jvclegal.org. I’m pretty good at rapid-fire questions (thanks, law school), but it’s even better when I have a bit of time to prepare.

I’ll be ready to offer guidance on protecting yourself and your intellectual property, and I hope you’ll be ready to learn!

Sara Yood, Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) assistant general counsel, is an attorney admitted to practice in the states of New York and New Jersey, with extensive experience in intellectual property law.

Four Decades of Excellence: How Wilkerson Transformed a Jeweler's Retirement into Celebration

After 45 years serving the Milwaukee community, Treiber & Straub Jewelers owner Michael Straub faced a significant life transition. At 75, the veteran jeweler made a personal decision many business owners understand: "I think it's time. I want to enjoy my wife with my grandchildren for the next 10, 15 years." Wilkerson's expertise transformed this major business transition into an extraordinary success. Their comprehensive approach to managing the going-out-of-business sale created unprecedented customer response—with lines forming outside the store and limits on how many shoppers could enter at once due to fire safety regulations. The results exceeded all expectations. "Wilkerson did a phenomenal job," Straub enthuses. "They were there for you through the whole thing, helped you with promoting it, helping you on day-to-day business. I can't speak enough for how well they did." The partnership didn't just facilitate a business closing; it created a celebratory finale to decades of service while allowing Straub to confidently step into his well-earned retirement.