Intellectual Property Solicitors in Great Malvern

Great Malvern has had a technology research cluster since the wartime radar establishment moved to the town, and the science park and engineering firms that grew up around it still produce exactly the sort of work intellectual property law exists to protect. For anything patentable, the costliest mistake is disclosure. An invention shown at a trade fair, described in a paper, or discussed with a potential partner without a confidentiality agreement in place is generally no longer new, and a patent application filed afterwards will usually fail for that reason alone.

Not every right has to be registered. Copyright arises automatically, and unregistered design right and the law of passing off give a degree of protection to shapes and to established trading names without any filing at all. Registration is stronger where it is available. Ownership is another frequent trap, particularly for smaller businesses buying in expertise: an employee's inventions and work generally belong to the employer, whereas a freelancer or outside agency usually keeps the rights in what they produce unless a written assignment says otherwise. A solicitor can put those assignments in place, advise on what is worth registering, and act where rights are being infringed.