IP Rights and Trademarks
Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights
Intellectual property rights (IPRs) are important for innovation, which is essential for any knowledge based business. IPRs offer effective protection and reward to innovative businesses by giving them the legal framework to exploit that innovation.
What is Intellectual Property?
In simple terms, intellectual property is the:
- Right to control the use of technology and creative material; and
- Right to stop others from abusing the symbols that identify your business.
Intellectual property includes:
- Copyright (generally protects 2D things like photos, computer code and music);
- Design rights (protect what things look like);
- Trade marks (protect brand names);
- Patents (protect how things work);
- Industrial secrets and confidential information (secret things).
Detailed information about IP can be found on the IMPACT blog which is written by the IP&T team at Freeth Cartwright
Common pitfalls
Businesses often do not realise the importance of IPRs until it is too late. Examples of the most common pitfalls include:
- Failing to check that new company and brand names are "clear" before using them;
- Disclosing details of new innovations without a confidentiality agreement or a patent application in place; failure to take these steps might actually rule out future protection options; you might loose your idea to someone else! li>
- Not considering IPRs in contracts with suppliers, employees or sub-contractors; and
- Not seeking early advice from professionals in the field.
What should businesses do to protect innovation?
Different forms of IPRs are protected differently. The key is to seek early legal advice to work out the most suitable forms and steps to protect your innovation. This will, in the long run, save businesses a lot of money.
Where to go for advice?
For legal advice, contact:
- Ann Critchell-Ward
- Freeth Cartwright LLP
- Direct Dial: 0845 058 0753
- Fax: 0845 058 0761
- Email: ann.critchell-ward@freethcartwright.co.uk
- Skype: ann.critchell-ward.fc
Links to people, companies and websites
- Companies House - find out information about companies
- UK Intellectual Property Office - UK registrar for trade marks, design rights and patent and to find out information about IPRs
- Intellectual-property.gov.uk - The Government-backed home of UK Intellectual Property on the Internet
- PATLIB UK Centres - The Patent Information Network, a group of 13 public and academic libraries supplying access to the technological and commercial information available in patent documentation
- CORDIS - The Community's Research and Technical Development Information Service providing a central source of information on all EU funded research activities
- WIPO - an international organization promoting the use and protection of IPRs
- OHIM - office of the European Union for trade marks and designs
- European Patent Office - European registrar for patents
- Nominet - the Internet registry for .uk domain names