Author Archives: mwillee

Last week’s Traklight on Forbes series featured an interview on “Crowdfunding and IP: Tips From An Entrepreneurial Attorney” with Michael S. Melfi of Melfi & Associates. Check back every week for more content. Thanks for reading!

  SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform founded in 2007 by two Swedish artists, and has since gained over 250 million users. This German company initially started as a means for new artists to share their music, receive feedback, and communicate with their fans, but is expanding to include popular mainstream artists as well.Continue reading “Copyrights in Technology: SoundCloud Equity Deal to License Music”

Scenario: You spent five years developing a mobile app that gives football fans real-time access to the latest scores and stats. You’ve turned that invention into a small business, and although still struggling, you’re finally starting to see a return on your investment. Great! Then one day, surfing the internet for what else is hotContinue reading “How Can Small Business Fight Intellectual Property Theft?”

Previously in our Intellectual Property (IP) Best Practices series, we introduced step three to managing your IP: Manage. Please check back every Monday for the next step in this series. A company is made up of its employees. They are the people that carry out the day-to-day affairs. While interacting with third parties with yourContinue reading “IP Best Practices: Code of Conduct as a Means of IP Protection, Step 4”

Many people who start a small business do so because they feel they have a truly unique idea. Many individuals just starting their small business may not have enough money to utilize the patent process. In some cases, it makes sense for a small business to try and sell their product without a patent. ThereContinue reading “How to Protect an Idea without a Patent”

Last week’s Traklight on Forbes series mentioned six female innovators who are shaking up the legal tech scene. Check back every week for more content. Thanks for reading! This week, Mary interviews Michael S. Melfi, Founder and entrepreneurial attorney of the intellectual property (IP) law firm Melfi & Associates PC, and General Counsel for the new crowdfunding platformContinue reading “Forbes Update: Crowdfunding and IP Tips from an Entrepreneurial Attorney”

When we think of trademarks in business, we think of slogans, phrases, logos, and symbols. But both the WIPO and the Lanham Act define this segment of intellectual property (IP) broadly as anything used in commerce and distinguishes a brand from others in the market. That includes shapes, sounds, fragrances, and even colors–although it isContinue reading “Trademarks in Business: Black Is Not the New Green”

I started working with Traklight in December of 2013. My initial introduction was by email, and my interview by Skype. I had never worked remotely before and was apprehensive regarding how it would work. How would they know I was really working? How would I know if they thought I was getting the job done? CouldContinue reading “Startup Advice: The Pros and Cons of Working Remotely”

Previously in our Intellectual Property (IP) Best Practices series, we introduced step two to maximizing your IP: Protect. Please check back every Monday for the next step in this series. People tend to forget about intellectual property (IP) after registering it once–a mistake that can cost dearly. As we discussed in our previous blog aboutContinue reading “IP Best Practices: Managing Intellectual Property, Step 3”

Trademarks are an essential way to protect your intellectual property (IP) so you can market your goods and services under your brand. However, if you have ever gone through the trademark registration process, you know the challenges in trying to find out whether the idea is already protected. Trademark applications are not cheap and theContinue reading “Streamlining the Search Process for Trademark Registration”