It is a priority  for any company to protect its intellectual property rights.  Failure to do so can significantly de-value those rights and enables others who copy your ideas to profit from at your expense.

We can help you to protect your intellectual property rights and take action against any infringement of them.

We have solicitors who have years of experience advising clients about the protection of their intellectual property rights and taking appropriate action where those rights are infringed.  We understand the sensitive nature of what is at stake in protecting intellectual property and the consequences of failing to protect these important rights.  We can help you find the right solution. 

Patents for inventions

New and inventive products and/or processes which are capable of industrial application.  A patent will provide a monopoly right over that product or process, providing it is ‘new’, so it is essential to speak confidentially to a solicitor from the start.

Trademarks for brand identity

A trademark is a form of registered protection, which provides the owner with a monopoly right as long as it is capable of graphical representation and above all does not describe that particular good/service.  A trademark can be registered in a number of different classes of goods/services which prevents competitors from using similar marks, so speaking with an experienced law firm such as Prosperity Law is vital to ensure protection.

Design Rights

A design right, relation to the physical appearance and materials used for a product can be registered or unregistered.  The existence of a design right provides protection from others who seek to copy it.

Confidentiality

All businesses possess information that needs to be kept confidential for one reason or another.  There is the potential for a significant risk of harm being caused if confidential information becomes public knowledge, particularly if the information relates to the company’s own internal organisation, its employees, processes or its relationships with customers and suppliers.  Where a key aspect of the services that a company provides to its customers is to keep their information confidential it is important to implement measures to protect that information.

There are many facets to this.  Clear obligations within employment contracts are key.   Having binding agreements with other businesses with whom you share information that they will keep that information confidential are also a recommended practice.   An expectation of confidentiality also arises in certain circumstances even without specific agreements not to disclose confidential information.  We can help you manage these issues and address the problems that can arise where disclosure of confidential information occurs.

Passing Off

If you have a well-established presence in your market and another business is using identical or very similar imagery/branding to yours in order to confuse people into thinking that they are supplying the goods or services associated with you, there is a very strong chance that they will be “passing off”.  We frequently help businesses in this situation in order to prevent further passing off and obtain compensation for the effects of previous actions by the perpetrators.