Practice Areas

Intellectual Property Law

Saper Law can help you register, protect, license, and enforce your business’s intellectual property rights. Our attorneys handle a high volume of trademark, copyright, and domain name registrations, appeals, and licensing negotiations. We have extensive experience with the administrative procedures of the USPTO and Copyright Office. We also bring forth and defend against IP litigation in the areas of trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and lawsuits involving peer-to-peer networks and BitTorrent protocol.

Do you need help protecting your book, music, software, or other written work? Saper Law has experience in a broad range of copyright matters. Our skilled attorneys resolve copyright issues involving software, films, digital music, photography, jewelry, publishing, children’s books, graphic design, and more. Click here to begin the process of copyrighting a work, or click here to schedule a consultation to discuss other copyright issues. For information specific to software and technology, click here. Learn more about our Copyright Law services here.

A domain name is a valuable asset that can be vital for a business’s success. For businesses, a domain name serves as the focal point of their commercial enterprise. Unfortunately, often someone else already owns the domain name featuring a company’s name. Worse yet, they have the power to hold it hostage for exorbitant amounts of money. Saper Law can help you evaluate your options and secure the domain name you need. Click here to schedule a consultation to discuss domain name issues. Learn more about our domain name services here.

Do you need help trademarking a product or logo or protecting and enforcing an existing trademark? Saper Law has experience dealing with trademark selection, registration, protection, licensing, and enforcement. Click here to begin the process of registering a trademark, or click here to schedule a consultation to discuss other trademark issues. Click here to begin the flat fee Office Action response process. Learn more about our Trademark Law services here.

A trade secret is a private piece of information that gives its owner a competitive edge. Trade secrets can range from a bakery’s secret cookie recipe to computer codes and software algorithms. A business’s successes can depend on how well its trade secrets are protected and kept confidential from competitors. Saper Law can help you navigate trade secret laws to make sure your secrets are safe and your business is protected. Click here to schedule a consultation to discuss trade secret issues. Learn more about our trade secret services here.

Social Media Law

Saper Law’s attorneys have extensive experience counseling clients and business owners on navigating the challenges of traditional and digital advertising, social media marketing, and legally operating sweepstakes and contests. We also assist clients with building and defending their online reputations.

Additionally, if you are being threatened with a lawsuit for traditional or online defamation (libel or slander), or if you are a victim of defamation, Saper Law can help.

When it comes to effective marketing and advertising, it’s not just what you say but how you say it that attracts customers and generates business. Unfortunately, your company’s creative advertising can occasionally invite lawsuits. These may be unfair competition lawsuits from competitors, right of publicity or defamation lawsuits from individuals featured in the ads, enforcement and administrative actions by regulators for failure to comply with a myriad of federal and state laws, or copyright infringement suits for content you didn’t obtain authorization to use. Saper Law can provide your business with an in-depth advertising copy review to mitigate legal risks associated with your marketing materials. Click here to learn more about our advertising copy review services, or click here to schedule a consultation.

Technology allows users to quickly and easily communicate. Unfortunately, it also allows users to send messages while hiding behind a screen, causing a false sense of anonymity. A feeling of anonymity may facilitate a desire to post defamatory, false statements to discredit another individual or harm their reputation. Although defamatory speech is illegal, opinions, even if they reflect negatively on someone, are protected by the First Amendment. The line between defamation (both written libel and spoken slander) and negative but non-defamatory statements is often blurred. Saper Law attorneys are skilled in dealing with all forms of defamation and have successfully defended against and brought forth defamation lawsuits including revenge porn litigation. Saper Law can also help you develop an online reputation management plan. Click here to learn more about defamation and our related services. Click here to schedule a consultation.

False advertising laws are designed to protect consumers by preventing a business from making false, misleading, or deceptive claims about a product’s price, quality, or purpose. However, even the most diligent business owners may struggle to understand and comply with the various laws and guidelines. Saper Law can help by providing in-depth advertising reviews for FTC, FCC, and state and local consumer protection compliance. Click here for more information on false advertising and our related services, or click here to schedule a consultation.

A sponsorship or advertisement agreement governs the terms of a relationship between an individual or business and someone who is hired to increase exposure for that business’s or individual’s products or services. Influencer agreements are used when a company hires a person who has a large audience across various social media outlets, commonly known as an “influencer,” to promote and generate awareness of a company, brand, or product through experiential advertising. Both types of agreements require the parties to consider what their message will be, how the message will be delivered, and to whom it will be aimed. Saper Law can help you create, negotiate, and enforce these agreements. Click here to learn more about sponsorship & advertisement agreements and our related services; click here for more on influencer agreements. Click here to schedule a consultation.

Interested in using a give-away or enter-to-win sweepstakes to attract new customers or generate buzz about a product launch? Both state and federal laws heavily regulate sweepstakes and other promotional contests. In addition to government regulations, online promotions must comply with the Terms of Service of the platforms on which they’re hosted. We can help you understand these requirements and regulations. Saper Law counsels a range of clients on how to legally operate sweepstakes and contests. Click here to learn more about sweepstakes, contests, games and promotions, and our related services, or click here to schedule a consultation.

Business Law

Saper Law’s corporate transactional practice assists clients with business incorporation, restructuring, contract drafting, and negotiation. We were recognized as one of the top 12 start-up attorneys in Chicago for our work assisting new and small businesses with founder’s agreements, online terms of use, privacy policies, influencer agreements, and various employment-related agreements.

Contracts are necessary for nearly every business transaction, regardless of the industry, from software and technology to restaurants and hospitality. Contracts and agreements not only establish the parties’ rights and duties but also assign liability. Our attorneys understand the intricacies of balancing business and legal issues and keep that balance in mind when helping clients draft and negotiate various contracts. Click here to read more about our contract and licensing services, or click here to schedule a consultation.

As a business owner, your success and livelihood depend on how well your rights are protected in your business agreements. Saper Law provides business owners with conscientious and thorough legal counsel before they share proprietary information with employees or prospective business partners or enter into agreements with vendors, licensors, or other businesses. Click here to learn more about our employment law services, or click here to schedule a consultation.

From deciding between an LLP or an LLC to negotiating mergers and acquisitions, Saper Law has experience dealing with business formation decisions for a wide range of clients. We also assist in drafting and negotiating business agreements including operating agreements, articles of incorporation, residential leases, and asset purchase agreements. Depending on your business needs, Saper Law can serve as general counsel or counsel on retainer. Click here to begin the process of forming your LLC, or click here to learn more about our business formation services. Click here to schedule a consultation.

The Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings requires an attorney to represent all businesses at administrative proceedings, including ordinance citation hearings. Click here to read more.

Saper Law attorneys deal with a wide variety of ordinance violations and represent many new or small businesses that are unaccustomed to legal proceedings. Our team will walk you through the process and will help you present your case.Click here to learn more about ordinance violations and hearings. If you received an ordinance violation citation, call us at (312) 527-4100 or click here to schedule a consultation.

Entertainment Law

Saper Law has helped hundreds of creative industry clients, including musicians, visual artists, independent filmmakers, and authors. We are experienced with both transactional entertainment law and litigation. We work diligently to provide clear and thorough counsel for creative professionals to address complex issues that arise in the entertainment industry.

From sculptors to graffiti artists, Saper Law has vast experience helping visual artists protect their work. Our attorneys guide artists through copyright registration, licensing, drafting work-made-for hire contracts, and securing moral rights protections. Additionally, we negotiate agreements with galleries, museums, expositions, and traveling exhibitions on behalf of our clients. Read more about our visual art services here, or click here to schedule a consultation.

Saper Law helps designers, manufacturers, retailers, and other fashion professionals with licensing or contract issues with businesses and regulatory authorities. Read more about our fashion services here, or click here to schedule a consultation.

Are you a photographer, filmmaker, producer, or other film/television professional having issues with contracts, artists, privacy laws, or intellectual property protection? If this applies to you, you need advice and representation from attorneys who are familiar with the complexities of your industry. Read more about our film, photography and television services here, or click here to schedule a consultation.

Are you a performer, producer, songwriter, or some other music industry professional who has a contract or licensing issue with another artist, business, or regulatory authority? If you are, you need representation from attorneys who are familiar with the complexities of the music world. At Saper Law, we provide services to music industry professionals in the fields of intellectual property, contract law, and internet law; we also represent individuals who are being sued by the Recording Industry Association of America. Read more about our music industry services here. Click here for information on music licensing and usage clearance. Click here to begin the process of copyrighting a musical work. Click here to schedule a consultation.

Whether weighing the pros and cons of self-publishing, drafting and negotiating publishing agreements, dealing with distributors, registering your work with the U.S. Copyright Office, or any related print and publishing concerns, Saper Law is here to help. Our attorneys’ familiarity with the publishing industry allows us to offer nuanced counsel and assistance with publishing legal issues, large and small. Read more about our Print & Publishing services here, or click here to begin the process of copyrighting your work. Click here to schedule a consultation.

The right of publicity is an individual’s right to control the commercial exploitation of his or her name, identity, and general likeness/personality. Saper Law can help you enforce your right of publicity or defend you in actions brought against you, as well as draft right of publicity licensing agreements. Read more about Right of Publicity here, or click here to schedule a consultation.

When an individual provides his or her creative services, which may include music, modeling, or DJing, there should be an agreement specifying the terms and conditions for providing those services. These agreements, typically called “host” or “talent” agreements, create limited commercial relationships between the creative professional and the hiring party that defines the role, scope, and expectations of all involved. Many creative individuals want to focus on their craft, so they often employ agents and managers to handle these and other business dealings. Agents and managers find employment opportunities for artists and manage finances, administrative tasks, career decisions, and professional relationships. Contracts between managers/agents and talent are critical, as they detail the nature and scope of the relationship between the parties. For creative professionals, having the right contract in place is just as important as having a reliable agent or manager. Saper Law attorneys regularly draft both talent agreements and representation/management agreements. We also provide experienced counsel when conflicts over such agreements arise. Read more about our Talent Agreements here. Read more about our Agent & Management Agreements here. Click here to schedule a consultation.

Saper Law attorneys have a winning record in both State and Federal courts. Whether the lawsuit concerns Intellectual Property Law (trademarks and copyrights), Social Media & Internet Law, Defamation Law, Business Law, or Entertainment Law, our extensive experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants helps us anticipate the arguments of opposing counsel.

If you need to take legal action, or another party takes legal action against you, Saper Law can help you successfully navigate the complex arena of litigation.

Click here to learn more about litigating with Saper Law, or click here to schedule a confidential consultation.

Litigation

If you need to take legal action, or another party takes legal action against you, Saper Law can help you successfully navigate the complex arena of litigation.

Click here to learn more about litigating with Saper Law, or click here to schedule a confidential consultation.