It seems like almost a daily occurrence that we see stories on television or in the newspaper about massive intellectual property right violations around the world. From peer to peer file sharing programs in European countries where copyright law is practically never enforced to black market DVDs of Hollywood hits in markets all over Southeast Asia, keeping an eye on your intellectual property rights around the world is a full time job. Major movie studios and corporations have entire divisions of people working full time jobs tracking down and suing individuals who have accidentally or purposefully violated their intellectual property rights. Some companies, like Disney and Major League Baseball, even face harsh criticism for their seemingly ruthless pursuit and prosecution of intellectual property violators, but for the average person, it is impossible to adequately track how their intellectual property rights are being used by others, especially if they display their material online. Here are a few tips for the average Intellectual property rights holder that is concerned about violations on a global scale.

While the online world has made copying and distributing intellectual property substantially easier, it has also made access to the latest laws, rules and mandates governing international copyright law. In the past, intellectual property right holders who wished to brush up on copyright law either had to sequester themselves in a dusty library for a few weeks or they had to fork over cash for a class at a local university or college. Today, you can learn about how police and federal officials in countries all over the world determine and then prosecute cases of intellectual property law in minutes thanks to the seemingly endless amount of reading material found online. There are even several websites that catalog and house hundreds or even thousands of related international copyright books for easy reference. You can also customize online news programs to send you updates and breaking stories in the world of intellectual property law each and every day.

While educating yourself on your rights as they pertain to the various jurisdictions around the world is a good idea, having an expert on your side is even more important. The lawyer teams used by major corporations to protect their intellectual property is the stuff of legend and while no one expects you to be able to hire a team of top lawyers to protect your one piece of intellectual property, you should have at least one law professional on your side if you plan on making any money from your creation. Picking the right intellectual property lawyer is difficult. Not only do they have to be certified by a national coalition whose job it is to maintain the highest levels of quality and professionalism, but you also have to find a lawyer who has a specialty in your type of intellectual property. Add to that the fact that you should also find a lawyer who specializes in the type of media your piece of intellectual property is in, and the search can be a bit overwhelming, but with a multitude of online resources at your disposal, you make your search significantly easier.