Accepting the idea (which shouldn’t be too hard) that you may have in front of your eyes valuable assets you should ask yourself:
What can be protected?
Just to mention a few:
- Signs that identify your business, product/service, establishment…
- New product or process that hasn’t been used before or hasn’t been applied to that matter
- New design that doesn’t change the workings of the product but adds aesthetic significance
- Self-developed software
- Database
How can be protected?
The above can be classified in:
- Company name, trademark, logo, slogan…
- Patent
- Industrial design
- Copyright (and may something extra)
- Copyright
Where can be protected?
Dominican Republic, any other country where you have or may have business in.
Who is the owner?
If you did it yourself there is no issue. If not, please take under consideration that industrial property (such as trademark, patent and industrial design) as well as copyright may have different owners, inventors or author according to the circumstance in which they were created. For example: If you contracted a person to create certain product or process, you should have a contract explicitly clarifying that the company will be the owner.
Who is the person in charge of managing your Intellectual Property? Who is keeping track of potential infringement? Who is exploring the marketplace? Who is checking your competition?
Nobody! It is not acceptable!
Intangible Law 