Copyright protects the way that information or an idea is expressed in a material form, whether it be fixed on paper or in an electronic or some other reproducible form.

Copyright automatically protects certain original works, including: literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works; sound recordings, films, audio and video broadcasts and the typographical arrangement of published editions.

Copyright is infringed when the whole or a substantial part of a work is reproduced, by copying, without the authorisation of the copyright owner. The test for what is a substantial part is often based on the quality or essence of what was copied rather than the amount of what was copied.

Copyright does not prevent the use of the same idea or information when there is no copying.

How long does copyright protection last?

Although the length of copyright protection may vary depending upon a number of factors, in most countries, copyright protection lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years.

Wilson Gunn can advise on all aspects of intellectual property protection. Please get in touch to speak to a member of our team about copyright protection.