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    Intellectual Property Legal Services

Virtually every business worldwide has intellectual property that may be of vital importance to its continued success.

Our role is to enable you to make the most of your intellectual property assets through protection, enforcement, commercialisation and audits. We will work with you to establish your needs and objectives for IP protection, and will identify the most suitable form, geographical extent, and availability of protection and manage the relevant process.

IP Protection

It is obviously important to ensure that your intellectual property is protected and that the protection remains current, providing what you require as your business grows and diversifies. Our IP lawyers advise on the appropriate forms of protection available and assist you to obtain relevant protections whether through registered rights such as trade marks to protect your brand, designs, or patents protecting inventions, or unregistered rights such as copyright or the protection of trade secrets and confidential information. We can conduct audits of all aspects of your IP whether for new projects, acquisitions, investments, or strategic housekeeping. We have significant experience of managing IP portfolios nationally and internationally for a wide range of clients, and have looked after some clients’ brands for decades.

IP Enforcement

An issue you may face is the unauthorised registration and/or use of your IP. We provide advice and will represent you in addressing this, with a focus on dispute resolution where possible or swift action, whether in the Courts or IP tribunals, where it is not. If you receive or are threatened with a claim, our IP litigation experts will advise you on the merits and assist in resolving the issue, whether negotiated settlement or robust defence.

IP Commercialisation

Your IP is a very valuable asset and its value may be maximised through licensing, acquisitions or disposals. Our team advises on a broad range of commercial needs from research, development and joint ventures to franchising and merchandising and of course supporting you with the IP aspects of acquisitions or disposals. Whether you require the preparation of commercial contracts or just a “sanity check”, we are there to meet your needs. We also help you clear advertising (print or broadcast) and promotions, comply with regulations, and challenge third parties’ advertising where necessary.

Our Intellectual Property law expertise

Working globally with colleagues across all relevant legal disciplines, our integrated approach for clients from the largest multi-nationals to start-ups ensures seamless advice across all your commercial requirements from inception to market. We understand the importance of your IP whatever your size. We are one of the few leading City law firms with the ability to provide a holistic approach, and a complete ‘one stop shop’, to meet your needs across the full range of intellectual property.

Brexit presented a big challenge to owners of IP and now the transition period has ended there are ongoing issues to consider as a result of the changes. For us, with offices in the UK and the EU, it is business as usual for IP matters, but we have produced guidance on the implications of Brexit on all types of intellectual property and our recommended action points here.

We are proud to have been named as 2023 UK Trade Mark Prosecution Firm of the Year by Managing IP.

Our Intellectual Property services

Trade Mark Legal Services

Trade Marks

We can provide you with advice in relation to the creation, protection, maintenance, enforcement and exploitation of all aspects of a trade mark and brand. 

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Commercialising Intellectual Property Legal Services

Commercialising Intellectual Property

We have significant expertise in strategic protection and commercialisation of intellectual property rights.

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Design Rights Legal Services

Designs

We provide innovative, commercially focused and cost effective advice in relation to all aspects of designs.

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Patent Legal Services

Patents

Our patent team is recognised as being expert in complex patent disputes and strategic issues.

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Copyright Lawyers

Copyright

We can assist you in securing ownership, enforcing, and exploiting copyright in a sensible commercial way, tailored to your business needs.

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Confidential Information & Trade Secret Lawyers

Confidential Information & Trade Secrets

We provide comprehensive advice regarding the protection and commercialisation of your organisation's confidential information.

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Meet our Intellectual Property lawyers

The trade mark team at Charles Russell Speechlys is top-notch. They provide sophisticated strategic advice.”

Legal 500 2023

I have been impressed with everyone I have encountered at Charles Russell Speechlys. Their responses are always timely, and their advice is always clear and concise."

Chambers 2023

EU Trade Marks & Brexit

How Brexit impacts your EUTMs

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Our thinking

  • A Summer of Sport - Top 5 Legal Considerations

    Anna Sowerby

    Insights

  • Managing IP quotes Charlotte Duly on the Supreme Court SkyKick ruling

    Charlotte Duly

    In the Press

  • Charles Russell Speechlys named ‘UK Trademark Prosecution Firm of the Year’ at the Managing IP Awards 2023

    Mary Bagnall

    News

  • Trade marks: an overview of the registration process

    Charlotte Duly

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  • The Financial Times quotes Nick White on risks to content creators promoting counterfeits

    Nick White

    In the Press

  • ITV This Morning quotes Charlotte Duly on the “Wagatha Christie” trademark

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    Quick Reads

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  • UKIPO guidance on NFTs and virtual goods

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  • World Intellectual Property Review quotes Charlotte Duly on the Rolex and Oyster & Pop trademark opposition

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  • Charles Russell Speechlys Intellectual Property team successfully oppose the registration of a certification mark for Manuka Honey

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  • The Times quotes Tim Maxwell on replica copies and copyright considerations

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  • Protecting a Good Name: Statutory Inquiry into The Captain Tom Foundation

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  • Nick White writes for Sports Business on the new IP laws to help protect Fifa World Cup rights

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  • Charles Russell Speechlys achieves colour trade mark registration for iconic ‘Cadbury Purple’

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    News

  • Top Gun: Maverick studio Paramount sued over alleged copyright breach

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  • Charlotte Duly writes for CITMA Review on the China Tang trade mark infringement case

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