What can I do to protect my business idea if I'm outsourcing my work?

Well, your question sounds a lot like what the Winkelvoss brothers sued Mark Zuckerberg about. Have you viewed the film The Social Network, which...

I wrote a story and posted it on my blog. A few months later, I noticed several websites who have copied my story as their own.

Good news. Unless I misread the situation, you own copyright in your words, and should be entitled to register your copyright with the US...

Hi I am taking a engineering class online with MIT, it is entirely project based and have question about patent and copyright.

Attorney Burdick has generated a helpful answer, carefully dissecting the separate principles applicable here. The principal pitfall of a public...

If a picture was taken of me and my siblings when I and they were very young who has the rights if my parents paid for them

The date of the picture may be important, as the copyright statute was extensively revised, effective in 1976. It's possible that copyright...

Copyright issue. Cartoon from a photog to use on a Shirt, is this OK?

For actionable legal advice, consult a local attorney with expertise in intellectual property.

I take it you mean that the copyright is owned by someone else and that you haven't received permission to copy the image. The answer to your...

Social media networking website for high school students

Supplementing attorney Burdick's comprehensive answer, I'd add that you should instruct your lawyer to consider how best to accommodate the fact...

Internet entrepreneur and consumer media company

Expanding on Attorney Burdick's answer, it sounds like you are at a good point to engage an attorney to do a legal audit of your business.

Do I need a separate registered trademark for my recording studio & my band?

Paradoxically, the answer to each of your questions might well be YES. That's because PROTECTION can effectively be broader than...

Do I need legal protection for editing and publishing my first book which will include stories submitted from other people?

Yes. You would at least need a grant of permission to publish the work of each contributor. You might optionally elect to seek a transfer of...