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Ready to talk to someone about an intellectual property matter in Johnson City? The form above connects you directly, no need to read everything below first.
Who creates and owns ideas around Johnson City
Invention and copyright questions at East Tennessee State University have a named office. At the university, the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer function sits within the Office of the Vice Provost for Research at Ross Hall 432 in Johnson City, and the university’s technology transfer page tells readers to obtain the copyright and invention disclosure forms and states the policy on equitable sharing of proceeds from inventions. If your work came out of ETSU, that page is the first place to look, and an attorney can help you read how its policy applies to you.
The ETSU Innovation Lab, at 2109 West Market Street, Johnson City, TN 37604, is described on its page as a high tech business incubator whose objectives include virtual incubator assistance for nonresidential companies, and the page’s news items mention residential and affiliate members.
Registering a business and a name in Tennessee
Tennessee businesses file new business and annual report paperwork through the online TNCaB account system of the Secretary of State. In 2015 the Secretary of State’s Division of Business Services announced online filing of assumed names, which are for a name other than the legal name under which a business transacts business.
Protecting a brand is another step. A trademark or service mark can also be registered with the Division of Business Services through a signed application sent with the filing fee to 312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, Nashville, TN 37243. According to the Secretary of State, a state registration lasts five years from the date of filing and can be renewed for further five year periods, with renewal opening six months before the registration expires.
Courts, clocks and the basics
The court’s pages list Carter County, Sullivan County and Washington County each under the Northeastern (Greeneville) division of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and they give 220 West Depot Street, Suite 200, Greeneville, TN 37743 for each.
A separate Tennessee statute covers noncompetes of health care providers. An attorney should confirm the current rule for the kind of work involved.
Local offices to know about
The Tennessee Small Business Development Center has a Johnson City office at 112 E Mountcastle Drive, Johnson City, TN 37601, according to its center page, where the director’s welcome speaks for the TSBDC at East Tennessee State University. The page offers consultations and training programs to business owners and prospective entrepreneurs. For who owns an invention, a brand or a creative work, the right person is an attorney.
Protecting your work in Johnson City? Get matched with an attorney now.
Writing down your goals in order
Not every goal matters equally, so rank yours before you call. Ask yourself what you would be glad to gain, what you could live without and what you most want to avoid. Put the list in order on a single page. An attorney can then suggest paths that fit your priorities instead of offering a general overview. If your priorities change after the first talk, update the page and bring the new version next time.
Start with a conversation
Before a first call, gather the dates you created, shared, sold or published the work and any agreement that touches it, including any university policy. Then get matched with an intellectual property attorney.
Protecting an idea, brand, or creative work in Johnson City? Talk to an attorney about your deadlines.
Related Intellectual Property Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is East Tennessee State University’s technology transfer function?
At East Tennessee State University, the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer function sits within the Office of the Vice Provost for Research at Ross Hall 432 in Johnson City. The university page tells readers to obtain the copyright and invention disclosure forms and states the policy on equitable sharing of proceeds from inventions.
Where is the Tennessee SBDC office in Johnson City?
The Tennessee Small Business Development Center has a Johnson City office at 112 E Mountcastle Drive, Johnson City, TN 37601, and the director’s welcome on its page speaks for the TSBDC at East Tennessee State University.
What is the ETSU Innovation Lab?
The ETSU Innovation Lab, at 2109 West Market Street, Johnson City, TN 37604, is described on its page as a high tech business incubator whose objectives include virtual incubator assistance for nonresidential companies, and the page’s news items mention residential and affiliate members.
Which federal court location is listed for Carter, Sullivan and Washington counties?
The court’s pages list Carter County, Sullivan County and Washington County each under the Northeastern (Greeneville) division of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and they give 220 West Depot Street, Suite 200, Greeneville, TN 37743 for each.
How long does a Tennessee trademark registration last?
The Tennessee Secretary of State says a state registration lasts five years from the date of filing and can be renewed for further five year periods, with renewal opening six months before it expires.
Talk to an Attorney About Your Johnson City Matter
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