This session will provide the fundamentals for entrepreneurs to better understand patents, trademarks, copyrights and other IP issues. Can I patent my idea? How do I choose a brand name without stepping on someone else' toes? Can I use on my website pictures I found on Google Images? If I have someone develop my website, do I own the copyright? How do I stop an employee or partner from leaving and forming a competing company? What if I share my idea with someone and they take it? Can I buy my competitor's brand name as a keyword on Google Ads? Someone is using a trademark similar to mine. What can I do?

The landscape of intellectual property issues can be confusing and complex. This session will provide important insight into these issues so entrepreneurs can protect their valuable intellectual property assets, and to avoid stepping in legal pot holes.

The presenters are Jeffrey Kass and Linda Appel Lipsius.

Jeffrey has been practicing intellectual property law for over two decades and has given dozens of IP seminars to entrepreneur groups across the country including at Washington University's, CU_Denver's and UCLA's entrepreneurship programs. Over 300 people attended his IP session at Denver Startup Week in the past. Jeffrey is a partner at the national law firm of Lewis Brisbois.

Linda is a serial entrepreneur and is the President and CEO of Teatulia Teas as well as the mama 'hood, two successful Denver-based businesses. She formerly was with Oxy Clean. In her many years as a business owner, she has encountered numerous IP issues, including trademark, patent, licensing and others and can provide insightful education from her experiences.