They say you have to toot your own horn — so here goes!

I have been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers–Rising Stars Edition 2009. Basically, this means a bunch of other lawyers voted for me. Flattering! It is nice when hard work is recognized by other lawyers in the area.

Happy New Year everyone!

Cool Site: Get Skins for Your Computer or Phone

Even upload your own pict!
www.skinit.com
Not that expesive (phone was $20)

Family Portrait Time

Awww... Aren't we a good looking family?

Creative Use of Service of Process via Facebook?

I’m a little more than sceptical…. service on Facebook?

Engaged!

As the economy slows, 5 TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR IP

It is always a good idea to protect your intellectual property.  It doesn’t matter who you are (employee, employer, independent contractor), or when (good times, bad times.

However, when the economy slows (nice word), it is time to look around at what you have and protect it. 

1. Do an intellectual property inventory.  Most don’t know what they have was valuable until it walks out the door.  Prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Not sure if what you have is copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret or some other type of information you can protect?  Ask your friendly lawyer to help you do an IP inventory.  They can ask the right questions to help you find and protect that information.
2. Make sure your employment agreements/contracts/handbooks say what you want them to say and are inforced.  Again, this may require a legal review (sorry folks – better than more fees later).
3. Check out your contracts and licenses and make sure they say what you think they say.  Again, do you really own that photo you had made up for your ads such that you can use it for any purpose or just for your 2008 print campaign?  Did the person you had do your website/literature get the rights to use the photos for your website/literature?  Did you see confirmation that they did this?  Be careful, because in a down economy, the owners will “troll” for unlicensed users ever more vigilantly. 
4. Make sure others are not using your information without your permission.  There are many ways to do this.  Some companies monitor email usage to see who is sending information to their home accounts and what the content is.  What are your employees accessing?  What is your competition using?  Are others using your creative?  For instance, you can easily find other people’s use of images when they did not change the name by just using a Google search.
5. Apply for protection.  To decide what additional applications or protection you need is so case specific, it is best left to you and your lawyer.  Remember, they are part of your IP team!

Please DONATE a SILENT AUCTION ITEM

The Epilepsy Foundation will host its 2^nd annual Mardi Gras Gala at the Dayton Convention Center on February 24, 2009  at 6:30pm-11:00pm.  This year, our honorees, Neil and Tera Arthur (Dayton Business Journal) will be crowned by our outgoing King and Queen. 

I AM CO-CHAIRING THE SILENT AUCTION TEAM! CAN YOU DONATE? Let me know.

Ideas for what to donate:

1. Lunch with you!
2. A day shadowing you!
3. A basket of goodies
4. A certificate for a good or service (spa, movies, gift certificates)
5. Nice things you got for Christmas but can’t use (like that aunt that bought you a massage package but you don’t like people touching you — make sure the certificate is transferable first).
6. Crafts you or someone you know produces and would like to sell
7. Things people would like to buy for their sweeties for post-Valentines Day treat or Easter basket
8. Know someone sought after– get something with their autograph or a good/service from them
9. A set of business books or tapes you think someone else might like to buy as a set
10. Anything else you can think of (please – a $40 or more value)

Want to sponsor?  Want to attend?  Click here for more information.

mardi-gras-sponsorship-opportunities

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