Legal situations

[mlabbee]

I've been following the thread on Torchy and as I understand it, he may have pulled out of all of this because he received some legal threats regarding his work.  Some of you have no doubt read my posts on the legal protections available for circuit designs and may have guessed that I'm a lawyer - well, I am and I'm actually a patent lawyer, which means I specialize in exactly these kinds of questions (I'm an intellectual property lawyer, which encompasses copyright, trademark, patents and trade secrets).

If anyone on this forum receives any threats of legal action based on their posts, please feel free to contact me directly and I will give you pro-bono (that means free) advice on what, if anything, you should do.  From what I've seen, people in the effects and DIY world have some serious misconceptions about the breadth of protection available for these circuits and I'd like to help out people who are being threatened witrh no basis (of course, if you are doing something wrong, I will be upfront with you about that as well).  

This invitation is extended particularly to Torchy, but also to anyone else who has been threatened.

You can e-mail me directly at IPLaw@labbee.com

I'm offering this help because I get very annoyed by people who run around threatening people either because they are ignorant or because they think the people they are threatening will be too afraid to stand up for their rights.  

Any advice I give you will be informal, unless we need to formalize things, but we can deal with that if/when it becomes and issue.  Also, I will only be able to advise you on federal law and state law in Arizona, California, Colorado and Georgia.  If there is a state law issue at stake in any other state, I will have to refer you to a lawyer licensed to practice there.

Mike

[David]

Mike:

I hope Torchy sees this and takes comfort from it.  Unfortunately, I think the situation is a bit more complex than you've stated because IIRC, Torchy is in the UK.

[Dragonfly]

Mike,
 thank you for offering your knowledge to the forum members...its nice to know that, should the situation arise, answers are indeed available.
 your offer is greatly appreciated.
Andy

[casey]

too cool...  

[MartyMart]

Mike,
that's very generous of you, I have a personal friend who is also a copyright/music lawyer here in the UK and have offered Torchy help if required.
He's probably the best and most famous in the country actually !!
I very much doub't that these "rediculous" threats will amount to anything
at all,  its just "bullying" and downright "rude" in my book !

Regards,
Marty.

[R.G.]

well, I am and I'm actually a patent lawyer, which means I specialize in exactly these kinds of questions (I'm an intellectual property lawyer, which encompasses copyright, trademark, patents and trade secrets).

I did know that - and your offer is incredibly generous.

I'd like to issue an invitation.

If you would write up a guide to IP law for effects makers, I would love to host it at GEO. I'll put a prominent button on the front page for it. I kept thinking I'd go do the research and get the pointers to the backing info on the web, but that's a huge undertaking for me, as I am NOT an IP lawyer.

I think this would be a great help to the people who read here.

[puretube]

it`d sure be interesting...


edit: former content has been back-upped...

[Pedal love]

That is very welcome, anything to stop these buggers from making idle threats. And to the buggers keep threatening and what can I say? :twisted:  :twisted:  :twisted: FACE THE CONSEQUENCES!!!

[mlabbee]

RG - that's a good idea. I will work on something and get it to you in hte next few days.

M

[rubberlips]

I was listening to the radio the other day (here in Oz) and some guy whose name is McBradley had threats from McDonalds because he registered a trademark under McBrad (I think), for his local rugby union club. Long story.. but they couldn't fit McBradley on the gernsey. So McDonalds decided tha's too close to all the shit they pump out McSalad, McChips, McSalt... etc (I always feel like a McCrap afterwards ).
Only problem was the guys an IP laywer as well -
I don't think macca's is gonna win this one....1 up for the little man

Pete

[puretube]

Is Paul McCartney in danger, too?

[Peter Snowberg]

Very cool Mike!

I'm looking forward to reading your article!

[RGW]

here is a link with some helpful info as well:
http://www.muzique.com/clones.htm

take care,
Robbie

[amz-fx]

here is a link with some helpful info as well:
http://www.muzique.com/clones.htm

I bumped the link up to the top of my index page so more people would have a chance to see it.

Thanks, Jack

[rubberlips]

Is Paul McCartney in danger, too?

Wouldn't suprise me if they went after him as well
Jacko screwed him...but then again what didn't he  :twisted:

Pete