Property Law Principles

1. Intellectual Property
   1. Patents
      1. Definition and Purpose
         1. Legal protection for inventions
         2. Encouragement of innovation
      2. Types of Patents
         1. Utility Patents
            1. Processes
            2. Machines
            3. Articles of manufacture
            4. Compositions of matter
         2. Design Patents
            1. Ornamental design of a functional item
         3. Plant Patents
            1. New and distinct varieties of plants
      3. Patent Application Process
         1. Provisional and Non-Provisional Applications
         2. Examination Process
         3. Patent Claims
            1. Independent and dependent claims
      4. Patent Duration and Maintenance
         1. Patent Term
         2. Maintenance Fees
      5. Infringement and Enforcement
         1. Types of Infringement
            1. Direct infringement
            2. Indirect infringement
         2. Legal Remedies
            1. Injunctions
            2. Damages
   2. Trademarks
      1. Definition and Purpose
         1. Protection for brands, names, symbols
         2. Consumer recognition
      2. Types of Trademarks
         1. Service Marks
            1. Used to identify services rather than products
         2. Collective Marks
            1. Identifies members of a group
         3. Certification Marks
            1. Signifies compliance with standards
      3. Trademark Registration
         1. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Process
         2. International Registration
      4. Trademark Duration and Renewal
         1. Initial registration period
         2. Renewal processes
      5. Infringement and Enforcement
         1. Likelihood of Confusion Standard
         2. Dilution
         3. Remedies and Legal Action
   3. Copyrights
      1. Definition and Purpose
         1. Protection of original works of authorship
      2. Types of Works Protected
         1. Literary and artistic works
         2. Music and lyrics
         3. Films and software
      3. Copyright Registration Process
         1. U.S. Copyright Office registration
         2. Benefits of registration
      4. Duration of Copyright
         1. Life of the author plus 70 years
         2. Variations for different types of works
      5. Infringement and Enforcement
         1. What constitutes infringement
         2. Fair Use Doctrine
         3. Legal outcomes and penalties
   4. Trade Secrets
      1. Definition and Importance
         1. Business information providing a competitive edge
      2. Characteristics of a Trade Secret
         1. Secrecy
         2. Economic value
         3. Reasonable efforts to maintain secrecy
      3. Protection Mechanisms
         1. Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)
         2. Proprietary information agreements
      4. Misappropriation
         1. Definitions and examples
         2. Legal consequences
      5. Legal Framework
         1. Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA)
         2. Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA)
   5. Intellectual Property Management
      1. Licensing
         1. Types of licenses (exclusive vs. non-exclusive)
         2. Terms and conditions
      2. Intellectual Property Strategy
         1. Protecting innovations
         2. Monetizing IP assets
   6. International Intellectual Property
      1. International Agreements
         1. Paris Convention
         2. Berne Convention
         3. Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
      2. Global IP Organizations
         1. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
      3. Economic Implications
         1. Role of IP in global trade
         2. Balancing national and international interests