Intellectual Property Lawyers in DC

Copyright is purely federal — registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, enforced through federal district courts. District of Columbia infringement cases are filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

District of Columbia creators using copyrighted material need fair-use analysis — four-factor test (purpose, nature, amount, market effect) determines whether use is lawful without permission.

Patents are entirely federal — granted by the USPTO and litigated in federal district court. District of Columbia infringement actions are filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Trademark protection in District of Columbia comes from THREE sources: federal registration with the USPTO, state registration with the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (~$60, every 5 years), and common-law rights from actual use.

District of Columbia trade secrets are protected under both state Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA) and federal Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA, 2016). No registration required — but reasonable secrecy efforts are.