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Kelley Way has been creating blog posts across many topics of Estate Planning, Copyright and Trademark law. If you have a topic or question you’d like covered, reach out to Kelley Way here.
What is Intellectual Property?
I throw the term “intellectual property” around quite a bit, but non-lawyers may not be quite as familiar with the term. Let me explain what intellectual property is and the four main types of intellectual property. “Intellectual property” refers to creations of the...
What is the Public Domain?
Happy Public Domain Day! As of today, everything published in 1928 enters the public domain and is free for anyone to use. The most famous work to enter the public domain this year is probably Steamboat Willie, the Disney film introducing Mickey and Minnie Mouse to...
When Should I Update My Will/Trust?
Happy New Year! Since today is New Year’s Day, it seemed like a good time to bring up a frequently asked question: When should I update my will/trust? I have colleagues who recommend reviewing your will and trust every New Year’s Day to ensure it’s up to date. But do...
Top Blog Posts of 2023
I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. In keeping with tradition, this final blog post of the year highlights the blog articles that got the most attention this past year. I hope you enjoy this trip down Memory Lane! Note: In previous years, I also included...
How and When to Transfer a Copyright
A copyright transfer can take many forms. It can be gifted, assigned, sold… basically, a copyright transfer happens anytime the copyright changes hands, whether or not money was involved. (Side note: a copyright license is not a transfer, because you are giving...
What Happens to My Royalties After I Die?
Ongoing royalty revenues are the dream of every author, musician, and movie director. And those royalty revenues are even sweeter if you don’t have to put any effort into marketing the work yourself. But if this dream is achieved, it also creates a problem for the...
Estate Planning Horror Stories: Celebrity Edition
It's been a long time since I last posted on estate planning horror stories that affect contemporary celebrities. An update is long overdue, so let me share what's been happening in some of the estates I discussed in my previous article. After five years of fighting...
How Long Does Copyright Last
I am often asked the question, how long does copyright last? This comes up especially when the person is considering protecting their legacy through an estate plan. Copyright duration also comes up when someone is considering using another person’s content and wants...
5 Common Estate Planning Mistakes
If you’ve already created your estate plan (i.e. a will and trust, plus a few other documents), then you’re ahead of most of the American population. However, things can still go wrong, even when you’ve created a proper estate plan. Here are a five common estate...