The Law Office of Kelley A. Way
  • Home
  • Practice Overview
    • Estate Planning
    • Copyrights
    • Trademarks
  • About Kelley Way
  • Speaking
  • Videos
  • Blog
  • Contact Me
  • (925) 357-8845
Select Page
What is the Public Domain?

What is the Public Domain?

by Kelley Way | Jan 1, 2024 | Authors and Writing, Copyrights, Intellectual Property, Trademarks

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...
What Happens to My Royalties After I Die?

What Happens to My Royalties After I Die?

by Kelley Way | Nov 6, 2023 | Authors and Writing, Copyrights, Intellectual Property

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...
Next Entries »

Blog Post Archives

Recent Blog Posts

  • More on Copyright and AI
  • Who Are My Heirs?
  • Recent Estate Planning Horror Stories
  • What Happens to My Copyright When I Sign a Publishing Contract?
  • Do I Need a New Trust After I Get Married?
  • Copyright vs. Trademark (What’s the Difference?)
  • 3 More Copyright Myths You Should Know
  • How Can I Disinherit My Kid?
  • Will My Child’s Inheritance Cost Them Their Disability Benefits?
  • Should I Register A Trademark On My Book Title?
  • When Can I Use Quotes in My Book?
  • Does My 18-Year-Old Need An Estate Plan?
  • What Do I Do With Firearms in an Estate?
  • 3 Copyright Myths
  • How Do I Transfer Rights to My Kindle Direct Publishing Account After My Death?
  • Do I Really Need a Lawyer to Draft My Estate Plan?
  • Can AI Content Be Copyrighted?
  • How to Pass Property to Kids
  • Do I Need to Register My Copyright?
  • How to Transfer Real Property Without a Probate

Subscribe to Kelley Way's Newsletter

Be the first to receive news and updates as well as resources from Kelley Way. When you sign up, you’ll receive the wills of Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra, with comments on why one will is considered good and the other bad.  An overview of the estate planning process from start to finish.

And an explanation of the difference between copyrights, trademarks and patents.

Subscribe Today!

About

Kelley Way is a California attorney practicing estate planning, copyright, and trademark law. She helps her clients

  • Protect their assets from infringers, avoidable litigation, and unnecessary taxes;
  • Provide for their loved ones during and after their lifetime; and
  • Make solid plans for a secure future.

To learn more about how Kelley can help you, please contact her to schedule an appointment.

Office Hours

 Monday – Friday

9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Office is closed during National Holidays

Phone: (925) 357-8845
Fax: (925) 357-8846
kaway@kawaylaw.com

150 N. Wiget Lane #210
Walnut Creek, CA 94598

map

Recent Posts

More on Copyright and AI

How your content might find itself in a training database I recently attended a writers conference, and a hot topic among attendees was copyrights and AI. However, they weren’t asking about the...
Read More

Who Are My Heirs?

Who Inherits Without a Will It has recently come to my attention that people don’t actually know who would inherit from them if they died without a will or trust.  I’m so well steeped in estate...
Read More

Recent Estate Planning Horror Stories

Halloween is around the corner, and what better time is there to go over celebrity estate plans gone wrong? So, grab your popcorn and sit back for a lesson on how some recently departed celebrities...
Read More

What Happens to My Copyright When I Sign a Publishing Contract?

You’ve been offered a publishing contract – congratulations! But then the doubt creeps in. Is this really a good idea? What if they decide they don’t like me? What if they decide they don’t like my...
Read More

Copyright vs. Trademark (What’s the Difference?)

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to copyrights vs. trademarks. I’ll have prospects say they want a trademark when they actually mean a copyright. Or they want a copyright, and it becomes...
Read More

Do I Need a New Trust After I Get Married?

Most people know that they need a new trust after a divorce. But what happens when they get married? Do they need to create a new one if they already have a trust? Let's dive into the question: Do I...
Read More

How Can I Disinherit My Kid?

Cutting someone out of your estate plan is a difficult but sometimes necessary decision. Not every family is happy, and not every child deserves an inheritance. Once you realize you need to...
Read More

3 More Copyright Myths You Should Know

My previous article on copyright myths proved to be a hit, so I’m following it up with three more myths related to copyright: If it’s online, it’s free to use This myth is pervasive. It’s so easy to...
Read More

Should I Register A Trademark On My Book Title?

There are many ways authors can use trademark law to protect their brand. Registering a trademark on their book title is usually the first application authors consider. So, is trademarking your book...
Read More

Will My Child’s Inheritance Cost Them Their Disability Benefits?

Government disability benefits are wonderful, but they have some significant drawbacks. One of the big ones is that they are needs-based, i.e., the recipient needs to be just shy of broke to qualify...
Read More
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow

Copyright © 2025 All Rights Reserved The Law Office of Kelley A. Way | Website Design by Creative Solution Consulting | Privacy Policy and Disclaimer

This website or its third-party tools process personal data.
In case of sale of your personal information, you may opt out by using the link Do not sell my personal information.
×
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT