Finn Roache Lawyers Insights
Here you will find articles written by our practitioners. The date of publication of each article is shown and caution should be exercised, because in some cases, the law discussed may not be up-to-date.
None of the information contained in the articles should be taken as specific legal advice, which can only be given when proper instructions are received and a retainer agreement entered into.
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Copyright – who’s right?
In my firm’s long association with designers, my most frequently-asked question is, “Can my client use my work without my consent if I haven’t been paid for it?”. Many designers are asked for a “free pitch” in the hope of gaining a good contract, only to find out...
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What’s in a Colour? Designers Beware!
When designing branding for a client, don’t rely too heavily on the use of a particular colour as a brand, especially if that colour might be functional rather than decorative. Functional colours (such as yellow for discount services, black for heat absorption, or...
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Copyright: what do you own?
As a copyright lawyer, I'm often asked by designers about ownership of their work. Does the client own the work or does the designer hold the rights? It's complicated. I created it – isn’t it mine? The short answer is ‘not always.’ Leaving aside any licenses granted...
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Copyright – Get it right!
"There's this graphic artist who says I can't use my design on my website!" yelled my client down the phone, early one Monday morning. He wanted a quick fix, because his website was going on-line the following day. "I've paid this bloke all he's entitled to," my...
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The Perils of Silents (Silent Partners)
More often than not, if I have a client purchasing a restaurant, they have a silent partner in the wings with deep enough pockets to satisfy the voracious appetite that restaurant businesses, at least in the initial stages of development, tend to have. In situations...
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Occupational Health and Safety? Not To Be Sneezed At!
I'm at the end-game in two cases involving injuries in the workplace. In both, the injuries were to fingers being put where they shouldn't go and the penalties to the employer are potentially very large. So how can you, as an employer protect yourself against the...
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