Protecting Inventions
Introduction
Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery. When it costs you money, because your competitors are copying your inventions, then it is false praise indeed. Ashfords assist clients to help prevent such activity by advising them how to secure, maintain and protect their valuable inventions, whether they be for new products, equipment or machinery, or in respect of new operating and manufacturing processes and procedures.
Work handled includes:
- Advising on the patentability of inventions, what inventions to register and where to register them
- Conducting, co-ordinating and supervising 'freedom-to-operate' searches and investigations to check that a product or process can be exploited and/or registered as a patent without infringing a third party's earlier patent rights
- Co-ordinating and supervising the drafting, filing, prosecution and registration of UK, European and International patents and patents in national countries around the world
- Protecting inventions, trade secrets and business sensitive information via NDAs and confidentiality agreements
- Conducting patent infringement, non-infringement and revocation proceedings before the English Courts and co-ordinating and supervising patent litigation and other types of proceedings abroad
- Conducting, co-ordinating and supervising various types of patent proceedings before the UK Intellectual Property Office and the European Patent Office
- Conducting all forms of alternative dispute resolution involving patents and inventions
- Co-ordinating and supervising the renewal of UK, European and International patents and patents in national countries around the world
- Negotiating and drafting licences and assignments of patents
- Conducting, co-ordinating and supervising due diligence on target patent portfolios
- Negotiating and drafting manufacturing, research and development, joint innovation and exploitation agreements and all other forms of commercial agreement, including technology transfer agreements, that involve patents and inventions
Recent work undertaken:
- Advising on and obtaining registered design protection for the appearance of clothing garments
- Conducting freedom-to-operate and IP rights clearance searches for a packaging business
- Drafting various types of NDAs and confidentiality agreements
What others say about us
"Given the uniqueness and simplicity of our flag ship product 'On Target Infant Training Balls', it was essential to protect all aspects of the invention, so as to deter would be competitors. This took the form of sourcing the very best legal advice on intellectual property rights, branding, trade mark and patents through to water-tight manufacturing and distribution agreements. Ashfords have proved the perfect partner for our entire legal needs, putting in place every appropriate resource ensuring 'On Target' maintains its competitive edge and market leader advantage. Their forward thinking and tenacity have been very welcome, meaning I can concentrate on developing our global potential, reassured that our business is enjoying the greatest protection possible."
Chris Lomas, Managing Director, On Target Infant Training
