You created it.
Now own it.
Books, courses, music, photographs, designs, choreography, software, scripts. The moment you create original work, you have a copyright — but until it's registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, your rights are limited and your enforcement options are weak. We register your work so the law backs you, not the person who copied it.
Copyright protects the creation. Trademark protects the brand.
A trademark covers the words, names, logos, and identifiers your business uses in commerce. A copyright covers the original creative work itself — the book you wrote, the course you built, the song you recorded, the photograph you shot, the artwork you designed.
Most founders need both — but they protect very different things, and the registration processes are not the same. Copyright is filed with the U.S. Copyright Office. Trademark is filed with the USPTO.
"If you made it from scratch, you can probably copyright it."
- Books, e-books, articles, blog posts
- Online courses, workbooks, curriculum
- Music, lyrics, sound recordings
- Photographs, illustrations, paintings
- Choreography, dance routines
- Films, videos, podcast episodes
- Software code, app design
- Scripts, screenplays, plays
Who needs copyright registration?
If your business depends on something you created, this protects the asset that makes your business possible.
Course Creators & Coaches
Your curriculum is your business. Every module, workbook, and slide deck is copyrightable creative work — and a copycat can rip it off in a weekend if it's not registered.
Authors & Content Creators
Books, articles, scripts, social media content — once it's published, infringement can move fast. Registration is what gives you legal teeth to do anything about it.
Designers & Visual Artists
Original photography, illustration, graphic design, fine art — your visual work is your portfolio and your product. Without registration, you can't sue for statutory damages.
Musicians & Audio Creators
Songs, sound recordings, podcast episodes, beats, jingles. Registration protects both the composition and the recording, and it's required before you can file an infringement lawsuit.
Software Developers & SaaS Founders
Source code, user interface designs, documentation — copyright protects the expression of your software. Especially critical before licensing, raising capital, or filing for patents.
Choreographers & Performers
Original choreography, performance art, theatrical works. Often overlooked, but legally protectable — and worth protecting if it's part of your brand, your show, or your IP portfolio.
You have copyright the moment you create. Registration gives it teeth.
Federal registration unlocks four legal powers you don't have without it.
You can't file an infringement lawsuit without it.
Federal copyright registration is a prerequisite to filing a copyright infringement lawsuit in U.S. court. No registration, no lawsuit — even if someone clearly stole your work.
You can win up to $150,000 per infringement — without proving actual loss.
Registered works are eligible for statutory damages and attorney's fees. Unregistered works are limited to "actual damages," which are often hard to prove and small.
Registration is public proof you own it.
A registration certificate creates a legal presumption of ownership. In court, the burden flips to the infringer to prove otherwise — a massive strategic advantage.
You can block counterfeits at the border.
Registered copyrights can be recorded with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, allowing them to seize counterfeit imports of your work before they hit the market.
"I'll just mail myself a copy."
That's not how copyright works.
The "poor man's copyright" — mailing yourself a sealed envelope of your work — has no legal standing in U.S. federal court. Neither does posting your work online with a copyright symbol, adding "all rights reserved" to your website, or uploading the file to your cloud drive with a timestamp.
The only thing that gives you the four legal powers above is federal registration with the U.S. Copyright Office. That's what we do.
Attorney-Led Copyright Registration
One flat fee. Full legal review. Filed with the U.S. Copyright Office by an attorney — not a paralegal mill, not an automated service.
"You created it. We make the law protect it."
- Eligibility review and legal opinion on your work
- Strategic guidance on which version(s) to register
- Preparation of the copyright application
- Filing with the U.S. Copyright Office
- Correspondence handling with the Copyright Office
- Certificate of registration delivered to your client portal
- Plain-language guidance on enforcing your rights post-registration
Frequently Asked Questions
Don't I automatically have copyright the moment I create something?
Yes — but it's limited. Without federal registration, you can't file an infringement lawsuit, you can't claim statutory damages or attorney's fees, and you don't have public proof of ownership. Registration is what turns a passive right into an enforceable one.
What are the government filing fees on top of your $2,500?
The U.S. Copyright Office filing fee ranges from $45 to $125 depending on the type of work, who is filing, and whether it's a single work or a collection. We disclose your exact filing fee during intake — before any commitment is made.
How long does copyright registration take?
Standard processing through the U.S. Copyright Office currently runs around 6–9 months for online applications. Expedited "special handling" is available in certain cases (like pending litigation) for an additional government fee. Importantly, your effective registration date is the date the application is received — not the date the certificate issues.
Can I copyright my course or coaching program?
Yes — the curriculum, workbooks, slide decks, written materials, and recorded video lessons are all copyrightable. The teaching methodology itself (ideas and methods) is not copyrightable, but the way you express, organize, and present those ideas is.
Should I copyright every blog post and social media caption?
No — registration makes the most sense for substantial works that have commercial value or that you'd want to enforce against infringers. For high-volume creators (bloggers, content creators), grouping works into collections is often the right strategy. We discuss this during your strategy session.
Do I need both a copyright and a trademark?
Often, yes. Copyright protects your creative work (the course content, the book, the photo). Trademark protects your brand identity (the business name, the logo, the product names). Many founders need both — and we offer both. Your strategy session covers what your business actually needs.
What if my work was created by a contractor or employee?
Without proper "work for hire" agreements, the contractor may own the copyright — not you. This is one of the most expensive mistakes founders make. We review your existing arrangements during the strategy session and advise on how to fix any gaps before registration.
Can you register copyrights for clients outside Florida?
Yes. Copyright is federal law, so we register copyrights for clients nationwide. (Note: estate planning services are limited to Florida residents, but copyright and trademark are nationwide services.)
Your work is the asset. Treat it like one.
Start with a $500 Strategy Session — one focused hour with Attorney Stokes to review your work, identify what's worth registering, and map out your full copyright strategy. Applied directly to your registration retainer if you retain the firm within 14 days.
Schedule a Strategy Session $500 · 1 Hour · Zoom · By Appointment