Intellectual Property

We are experts in helping businesses of all sizes craft effective strategies for the management, protection and exploitation of IP. The IP in a business often becomes critical when the value is realised in cash terms during the sale of company property or shares.

Your IP may include rights to brand names, logos, technical inventions, websites, graphic and three-dimensional designs, fashion styles, photographs, and software. Investing time, money and resources into protecting acquired IP at an early stage in the development of a business is a worthwhile strategy. Establishing a successful IP strategy for your business can foster innovation and encourage growth.

We help our clients to monetise the value of their IP portfolio in accordance with their specific commercial priorities.

Our expert team can assist with all types of IP including:

• Copyright (written material, images, software code and graphical images);
• Design right;
• Patents (protecting inventions and processes);
• Trade marks (brands);
• Trade secrets.

We assist business, institutional and private clients with the grant and registration of patents, trade marks and designs in the UK, dealing directly with the UK Intellectual Property Office. In addition, we can procure such IP rights or their equivalents in other countries using our trusted network of overseas professional advisors.

For commercial law transactions involving IP, we provide advice and assistance with:

• Acquisition of rights from third party owners who no longer use their IP;
• Due diligence investigations of IP assets relevant to corporate acquisitions;
• IP used on websites and in social media;
• Licencing and sale of all IP rights;
• Reviewing the IP you own already and what IP you might be entitled to;
• Specific transactions in which IP is significant, such as franchise arrangements, joint ventures, research and development agreements, outsourcing and distribution contracts.

IP rights need to be vigorously enforced or defended to retain their value. At TWM, we have extensive experience dealing with IP disputes, usually in relation to trade marks and copyright, on a Business Law and Dispute Resolution cross-functional team basis. We take swift and decisive action to ensure that all IP rights are enforced against abusers.

If you need assistance with IP protection, management and commercial exploitation, please contact Laurie Heizler, Partner in Business Law.