Intellectual Property
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWYERS MERTON – COPYRIGHT SOLICITORS MERTON
Intellectual property is those inventions, designs and creations created by your business which you can commercially exploit either through selling them to the public or using them as your brand to help build your businesses goodwill. Intellectual property laws are written to stop third parties exploiting your intellectual property without your permission. The value of protecting this intellectual property has never been more important now since technology and the internet has made it so much easier for third parties to copy your designs and creations.
Basics of IP
The aim of Intellectual Property is to help individuals and businesses to protect intangible rights which are creations of the mind. This covers the protection of music, paintings and books as well as software and inventions. These are all lucrative creations that should be protected in order to avoid copyright infringements.
The tests to determine whether something is eligible for protection can range from very loose and easy to fulfil to very stringent. For example artistic works in order to qualify the work must be “a graphic, sculpture or collage, photograph regardless of artistic quality”. In comparison, inventions require the fulfilment of a 4 step approach requiring the creator to be “skilled in the art” of creating inventions and must be a unique invention. In order to be considered unique there must be a real difference between any similar concept and the difference must be a step that is not obvious to have been taken to the end result.
In addition to use the laws to stop third parties stealing your intellectual property we can assist in allowing third parties to legally use your intellectual property, whether that be through granting licence agreements or assigning ownership over of the intellectual property to third parties.
Why us?
Merton solicitors will always undertake a through commercial reviews of your intellectual property so we can understand your business.
Merton solicitors will then work carefully with you to help you protect and exploit your IP rights in the most financially advantageous way possible. If you are looking to expand your business through licensing and franchising agreements we can assist in advising you the best way to do this. If we find that your intellectual property rights have been infringed we will take aggressive measures to make sure your rights are protected.
Merton solicitors have in-depth experience relating to all aspects of protecting, enforcing and exploiting your IP rights. We have the commercial acumen to assist you in making the right commercial decisions which suit the nature of your business.
We can help you to take the necessary steps to protect and enforce all your IP rights, and protect them in case of infringement.
Services include :-
- Trade marks
- Design rights
- Patents
- Copyright
- Database rights
- Domain names
- Confidential information
- Data protection
- Freedom of information.
- Website law