Mission admission: For keepers of creativity

One of the earliest tunes anyone learns is `Happy Birthday to You'.

According to the Guinness World Records, it is the most recognised song in English. But did you know that it is also one of the expensive songs? Till last year, every time it was used in films or at a public performance, the owners would send letters demanding payment, raking up almost $2 million a year in royalties. And this was not arm-twisting, but

intellectual property rights

(

IPR

).

Intellectual property (IP) is any intangible property that is a product of creativity and includes copyrights, designs, patents and trademarks. In today's innovation-driven world, protecting one's creation is critical and as an IP attorney you could help authors, musicians, inventors and entrepreneurs identify the worth of their creation and defend it in court.

While a law graduate has several avenues to explore from civil, criminal and corporate, IPR is the in-thing. “We get almost 20 requests every week for internships. Colleges have approached us as students are interested in IPR,“ said Elizabeth Puthran, IP attorney and founder, Puthran & Associates.

As an IP lawyer, one's work would involve drafting the application, liaising with authorities, obtaining the right and defending it in case of infringement.

Traditionally, corporates have been securing IPR to retain competitive advantage. Some of the world's biggest brands have been prudent with ideas. One of the most recognised shapes are the contours on a Coca Cola bot tle for which the company owns a trademark.

“Consumer brands are con scious of how their product is perceived. BMW's trademark 'kidney' grilles are an integral part of the brand. One can't im agine a BMW car without it,“ said Hrishikesh Datar, founder, Vakilsearch, an online platform for legal services.

When one enters a McDon ald's outlet, there are certain expectations about the meal.

`McDonald's' means something to the consumer. It is an asset that the company will protect.

That is exactly what music com poser Ilaiyaraaja is doing. Last month, he sent a notice to singer S P Balasubramanian to refrain from performing the composer's tunes or pay for them. “Beside the commercial side, artists and creators are looking for recognition,“ said

Swapna Sundar

, founder, IP Dome.

As an IP specialist, one can join a corporate or work with a law firm.

Brahma Puthran

, part ner, Puthran & Associaties, says learning is limited in a corporate.

“The rough and tough way would be to join a practising IP lawyer and get exposure,“ said Puthran.

Arvind Viswanathan says working in firms with innova tion programmes can be benefi cial. “When you work with a company , you interact with mul tiple law firms and see how they work,“ he said.

With innovation being a key word in every industry, an IP at torney's work cuts across sectors.

From the IT industry to enter tainment, writing and publish ing, and pharma, one can get a taste of several fields.

As awareness of IPR prolifer ates, the field offers immense potential.