Intellectual Property

For many organisations their Intellectual Property (IP) is their most important asset and the key to their successful growth and profitability.

Our partner-led Intellectual Property service helps clients protect, exploit, manage and litigate their IP across a broad range of sectors including retail, IT, pharmaceutical, biotech, electronics, consumer goods and media.

Our lawyers are members of a range of specialist organisations including TIPLO (The Intellectual Property lawyers Association), AIPPI (The International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property), ITMA (The Institute of Trade Mark Agents), and the Law Society’s Intellectual Property Working Party (advising on IP policy and legislative change). We are also part of the Legal Advisory Group of FAST (the Federation against Software Theft).

How we can help

Contentious work includes trade mark infringement and passing off, patent infringement, infringement of Community and UK design rights, copyright infringement, breach of confidence and counterfeiting. We regularly use alternative dispute resolution and specifically mediation and arbitration to resolve disputes quickly and cost effectively.

Commercial work includes patent and know-how licensing, spin outs and technology transfer, R&D collaborations, clinical trial agreements, material transfer agreements, general IPR licensing, advertising copy clearance including trade libel, defamation and comparative advertising as well as music industry agreements.

Recent work includes

• Assisting Hewlett-Packard Company on multi-jurisdictional patent infringement and other IP issues relating to its thermal inkjet printing business.
• Acting for Marson Fabrics (London) Limited in a number of copyright and design right disputes.
• Acting for a major high street retailer in a design right infringement claim against Mulberry.
• Acting for Ty, Inc., manufacturer of Beanie Babies, in management of its design and trade mark portfolio and other matters.
• Assisting a branded goods company on a merchandising and licensing programme relating to sporting equipment, clothing and novelty items.
• Advising on comparative advertising and gaming law for clients in the automotive, finance and computer peripherals sectors.
• Defending a Japanese optical instruments manufacturer against a claim for patent infringement.
• Helping a manufacturer of children’s safety products to resist a claim for patent infringement, including negotiating a favourable settlement.
• Co-ordinating a Europe-wide international trade mark filing programme for a US music and sound equipment supplier.
• Advising a leading UK domestic appliance manufacturer on allegations of patent infringement relating to oven cooling system; successfully revoking the patent before the Court of Appeal