Designs & copyright Design right Copyright Registered designs	Copyright arises automatically when you create an original work such as: •  any written work, including product literature and website wording •  an artistic work such as a drawing or painting •  a computer program •  a photograph •  a sculpture •  a piece of music Copyright protects the way that things are expressed rather than the ideas behind them. So, for example, it won’t protect a new invention and you need patent protection for this. However if another company blatantly copied your engineering drawings or product literature, you could have a case for copyright infringement. To take action for copyright infringement, you must be able to demonstrate that the infringer actually copied your work. If they independently came up with something very similar, you can’t take action under these copyright law. It is important to keep records of new copyright works, and dated paper copies are better for this purpose than computer records. How we can help We can: •  advise whether your creations benefit from copyright protection, and help ensure you have the necessary records so you could enforce it if necessary. •  help you understand the scope, duration and ownership of your rights. •  help you license or franchise your rights. •  advise whether any registered rights may also be appropriate and help you apply for these, in the UK and elsewhere.