Intellectual Property

Intellectual property (IP) can be a valuable asset to your business and a vital element of your competitive advantage. Your brand and IP should be protected at all costs.

Whether you want to identify your IP rights, understand what protection you already have and what you could obtain through registration, learn how to enforce your rights and prevent infringement, or you need assistance with licensing or franchising arrangements, our team has the ability and experience to act for you.

We can also advise on how to protect know-how, trade secrets and other confidential information by using restrictive covenants, non-disclosure agreements and appropriate drafting in any contract.

Our team can advise on the following IP rights and, where applicable, their registration:

  • Registered trade marks in the UK;
  • EU trade marks, affording protection in all countries of the EU;
  • Trade marks around the world to protect your brand in other countries;
  • The law of passing off, a cause of action similar to unfair competition which protects unregistered trade marks and the get-up of a business;
  • Copyright, an unregistered right which protects original artistic works, sound recordings, films, broadcasts, the typographical arrangements of published editions and software code;
  • Database right, which relates to copyright and protecting databases;
  • Registered designs, a monopoly right protecting the appearance of the whole or part of a product resulting from its features;
  • UK design right, an unregistered right which protects the original design of any aspect of the shape or configuration (internal or external) of the whole or part of an article; and
  • Patents, registration of which can protect inventions and new and inventive technical features of products and processes.

Our team also carry out due diligence on IP as part of a wider corporate transaction  to ensure the value lies where a seller says it does and that either it passes with an asset sale or stays put on a share sale.

Please contact us for further information.