Frequently Asked Questions
Got Questions? You’re in the right place.
Hey, we get it – the legal system can be confusing. Even more so if you’re just starting out with a new idea, steering your growing business, or trying to figure out ‘just what is a tort?’.
To help clear things up, we’ve put together answers to some common questions we come across when talking to our client
About Us
A&H Riz Law is a modern legal practice based in California led by Anam – a young and approachable lawyer who thinks this whole business law thing really shouldn’t be so complicated – so she went and did something about it!
We focus on Intellectual Property, Contracts, and Business Formation – with a goal to provide accessible legal services to startups and growing enterprises.
And we think we’re pretty good at it too!
We are licenced by the California State Bar and handle cases covered by US federal law and California state law. In practice, that means:
- We handle intellectual property cases from across the US since it is covered by federal law.
- We primarily handle contracts and business formation cases within California, but do take out-of-state cases covered by federal law.
Still not sure if we’d be the right fit? Get in touch and we’ll be happy help you out!
We provide accessible and affordable legal services that demystify the legal system and help entrepreneurs protect their rights.
Whether it’s helping you through business formation, contract design, or intellectual property protection, we’re here to level the playing field as your legal partner.
While we do not cover tax law, labor law, or mergers & acquisitions – we maintain working relationships with various attorneys in our professional network that can consult on your case if necessary.
Outside of intellectual property, we also cover cases involving contract law (disputes, drafting, reviewing), business formation (registration, licensing, authorization), as well as compliance & legal standards.
Yes, we do! We believe offering free introductory consultations ensures that our clients feel that we can best represent them. Get in touch if you’d like to set one up!
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property (IP) is an idea, creation, design, or artistic work that is intangible, but has accepted economic value. Some examples include patents, trademarks, and creative works (eg. art, music, films, computer programs, video games).
The recognized forms of IP continue to grow as we explore new digital economies, so we’re happy to answer any questions you have about your potential IP and how it can be protected.
Intellectual property is typically protected with trademarks or copyrights. You can use our services to register trademarks or copyrights so that you’re recognized as the legal owner in the US, and protect your right to benefit from your ideas.
We can help you enforce your rights by sending legal notices to the infringer, notifying federal boards, and pursuing litigation. In some cases, we may even be able to reclaim the rights to your established IP even if a copyright or trademark wasn’t previously registered.
For the best advice for your particular case, reach out and we’ll set up a free consultation.
Trademarks
A trademark is a form of intellectual property that is used to identify a product by its source and owning company. It can be a symbol, a logo, a name or a color that is recognizable to a particular product or brand.
A trademark protects the identifying markers that differentiate your product and prevents infringers from associating themselves with your brand to benefit from your established equity.
We can prepare an online application for your trademark, file the mark, and pay the associated fees. Once it is filed, the process usually takes between 12 to 18 months to have a fully registered trademark with the United States Patents and Trademarks Office.
For more specific advice regarding your potential trademark, get in touch and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
Copyrights
A copyright is a form of intellectual property that establishes the rights over an original creative work such as a song, an image, a movie, or a book.
A copyright stops someone from exploiting your creative work without your permission. Through a copyright, a creator can also control the rights to distribute or reproduce their work.
We can review and prepare your case, and then file an application for a copyright on your behalf. We would usually require a physical copy of the work that can be sent in to the US Copyrights Office.
For any specific advice regarding a creative work that you would like to copyright, connect with us through our website or our social media, and we’ll be happy to set up a free initial consultation.
While both copyrights and trademarks protect intellectual properties, they have different applications and laws. Trademarks protect assets and designs that differentiate a product, but are not the product itself – for example, the color and shape of a soda bottle. Copyrights protect creative works that are the product itself – for example, a song or a movie.
Copyrights and trademarks are also governed by different sets of laws and have different terms. Copyrights intrinsically exist as soon as a creative work is made, whereas trademarks are recognized through their consistent and unique use to differentiate a product.
Copyrights also have a limited term – in the United States, up to 70 years after the death of the author – while trademarks are upheld so long as they are in consistent use.
Torts
Not to be confused with the fruit-laden pastry dish, a tort is a wrong committed where one individual breaches another’s rights, resulting in personal injury or property damage. Torts are the civil analogue to crimes, which are wrongs committed against society and governed by criminal law.
As restitution, a court may require the culpable party to pay monetary compensation to the affected party. Tort law covers areas such as personal injury, product liability, and medical malpractice.