Studio Leardi has almost unique expertise in handling copyright issues. In this field of the law we advise artists, designers, web designers, architects, copywriters, engineers and software developers. Film producers, brand consulting agencies and advertising agencies also use our firm as their referral for any copyright issue.

Copyright law protects the authors of “original works of authorship” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works such as software and databases almost everywhere in the world by means of International Conventions that provide worldwide norms and standards in this area of the law.

Copyright law generally gives copyright owners the exclusive right to reproduce their work in copies; prepare derivative works based upon the original work; sell copies of the work to the public; transfer, rent, lease, license, or lend the ownership in the artwork; perform and display the work publicly and to authorize others to do so.

However, several categories of material are generally not eligible for copyright protection. These include: works that have not been fixed in a tangible form of expression; titles, names, short phrases, and slogans; familiar symbols or designs; mere variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering, or coloring; mere listings of ingredients or contents; and, more importantly, ideas, procedures, methods, systems, processes, concepts, principles, discoveries, or devices, and works consisting entirely of information that is common property and containing no original authorship.

It is illegal - with some exceptions provided by fair use doctrine or compulsory licenses - for anyone to violate any of the rights provided by the copyright law to a copyright owner.

The main services we provide in this field of the law are:

We advise our clients on all aspects of copyright substantive law

and of the creation of copyrighted works.

We enter artwork in the register of authors of the Italian SIAE.

We draft and negotiate copyright transfer and license agreements.

We advise on copyright infringement cases and offer legal

representation in copyright infringement proceedings.