The Office of the General Counsel provides legal advice and counsel to University of Nebraska faculty and staff regarding intellectual property matters, particularly as related to copyrights and trademarks.
Copyrights
Ownership of copyrighted material for faculty, staff and students is controlled by Board of Regents Policy 4.4.1. The University of Nebraska’s Memorandum on Copyright Law and Compliance is the guiding document for the campus community in understanding copyright. Copyright matters handled by the Office of the General Counsel include addressing cases of infringement, fair use analysis, licensing, and open access and distance learning. Copyright law is highly fact-specific, so particular issues related to University-owned copyrights should be referred to the Office of the General Counsel.
Trademarks
Under Executive Memorandum #20, the Principal Business Officer of each campus and the Vice President for Business and Finance have delegated authority to develop, adopt, and protect University trademarks, trade names and other indicia on behalf of the University. Inquires related to infringement of a University logo or trademark, trademark licensing, trademark renewal, or trademark registration should be directed to the Office of the General Counsel.
Other Intellectual Property
The Office of the General Counsel works closely with other University of Nebraska units charged with filing, protecting and commercializing patents, licensing, commercialization, and research-related matters. If your issue is related to one of the following areas, you might first check with the responsible unit before contacting the Office of the General Counsel:
Patents and Patent Protection:
UNeMed (for UNMC and UNO)
NUtech Ventures (For UNL and UNK)
Technology Transfer and Commercialization:
UNeMed (for UNMC and UNO)
NUtech Ventures (For UNL and UNK)
Sponsored Research:
Office of Sponsored Programs (UNK)
Office of Sponsored Programs (UNL)
Sponsored Programs Administration (UNMC)
Sponsored Programs and Research (UNO)
DISCLAIMER The information presented on this website is for informational purposes only and nothing on this website should be construed or relied upon as legal advice. The Office of the General Counsel should be consulted regarding the specific facts and circumstances associated with any legal matter.
