Identifying a businesses’ core intellectual property (IP) is not always as easy. Each type of intellectual property (IP) has its own quirks that can sometimes have surprising consequences for determining ownership. This article discusses common problems with copyright ownership and offers tips and solutions for avoiding copyright ownership problems in the future.

Traditionally, product or brand-placement within a TV series or movie—think Spielberg’s E.T. and Reese’s Piecescandies—requires a license or agreement with the brand to avoid legal issues arising out of trademark. But that’s not always the case. As Pepperdine and Duke have learned in recent months, the intersection of the 1st Amendment with the Lanham Act is a completely different matter.