How IP Solicitors Can Help You Enforce Your Intellectual Property Rights
If you have created some intellectual property (or IP) and want to prevent others using it without your permission then you must speak to a specialist IP lawyer as soon as possible. They will show you the best way to protect this so that you have access to legal recourse if you should so need it in the future.
'However what happens if I want to just leave my invention?' you might well ask. It's still a good idea to get legal advice from specialist IP Solicitors and get it registered. You are able to sell this to another person and then subsequently purchase a license from them. This will look after your interest incase you want to use in the future. Or, you could keep control of your IP and just license other people to use it.
So, what is IP crime? Whenever someone attempts to use or manufacture your product you can sue them according to UK Intellectual Property regulations. Usually IP crime is regarded either as counterfeit or piracy. Counterfeit relates to the trademark, and it happens when a registered brand is copied, such as in clothing, perfumes, automotive parts or pharmaceuticals and others.
Piracy happens when media such as DVDs or CDs are copied without permission and therefore there has been a copyright infringement. Piracy and counterfeits can happen simultaneously.
IP infringements such as counterfeiting and piracy are an important issue in the UK and affect not only businesses but the whole community as consumers. This is also because counterfeit products can be harmful to the public interests. The Rogers Review in 2007 published that Intellectual Property crime is worth £1.3 billion each year in the UK alone and the OECD reckons the illegal products seized beyond our borders are worth around $200 billion each year.
When there has been an IP infringement you can take legal action and sue for damages. If this happens to you then it is very important that you choose the best IP lawyer before you begin any legal action. An insurance policy can help with legal costs, but you could always try to find a solution with the other party before you embark into expensive procedures.
Think about confidentiality, eforcement of rights and insurance before you approach an IP solicitor. IP fraud is a serious issue so talk to your solicitors for the right intellectual property advice about how to protect your IP rights.
About the Author
Bonallack & Bishop are specialist IP Solicitors (http://www.intellectual-property-lawyer.co.uk ). If you need intellectual property advice contact one of their solicitors today. Senior partner Tim Bishop is responsible for all major strategic decisions at the firm, which he has grown 1000% in 13 years. He sees himself as a businessman who owns a law firm.
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