Copyright protection

If you create original works, copyright protection could be an important part of ensuring its success.

It might be essential to protect your copyright if a rival with a similar song, melody, product or service copies your composition, instruction manual or artwork.

If you think your copyright is being infringed, you are advised to seek legal advice or to send a carefully worded warning letter to the potential offender. They may be genuinely unaware of the infringement or they might stop when they know they've been found out.

If this fails you might want to take legal action. If you prove your case you could win considerable damages and get an injunction to stop your material from being misused.

But be warned - copyright is a private right and can be difficult to enforce legally. Before becoming involved in an expensive court case it can be wise to try to negotiate with the other party and come to some sort of agreement.

It's a good idea to seek legal advice from a specialist at an early stage, particularly if you're thinking of going to court.