Bug, Inc. is a successful United States company that wants to expand into international markets. In doing so, many legal issues arise. Some of these legal issues deal with intellectual property, civil liability, torts, e-commerce responsibilities, tort liability, and strict liability.
Patents, copyrights, and trademarks are types of intellectual property rights that help to legally protect companies like Bug, Inc. (Cheeseman, 2004, chap. 17). Patents can be used for the many equipment designs and devices manufactured by the company. When venturing into global commerce, established patents are not only recognized by the United States' federal government, but by international trade organizations like World Trade Organization (WTO) (Cheeseman, chap. 17). Copyrights will be useful for the software written by BUG employees to protect against the creation of illegal copies. Reducing or limiting illegal software copies will help to keep profits within the company, which fund future company projects.
Trademarks are equally important to BUG, Inc.
Logo of the Uniform Law Commission, formally known...
The Wiretap EP
Steve the Squirrel, Grand Lake, CO 8-28-12The company has established a logo that is used to identify and associate the company with the different types of products offered. The trademark, a ladybug wearing headphones, is now a part of the company instead of just a public character having no additional interpretations attached.
Both WIRETAP and Steve may face civil liability charges if caught. Steve intentionally gained employment at BUG, Inc. for the sole purpose of espionage in order for WIRETAP to benefit financially and commercially. Since the company's trade secrets were acquired through illegal means of intercepting emails and consistently forwarding product line information, both WIRETAP and Steve can be sued for a tort. The tort is misappropriation (Cheeseman, chap. 17). This process will allow BUG, Inc. to retrieve, from WIRETAP and Steve, any profits made as a result of the stolen information, recover any damages, and obtain an injunction prohibiting any...