Learn about IP in Brighton or Berkshire

Jane Lambert

Business expos and conferences take place tomorrow in different parts of the region:  The Brighton Business Expo 2017 at Brighton Racecourse between 10:00 and 16:00 and the Reading Expo at Green Park between 09:30 and 15:00. The IPO will exhibit at both and will present a free workshop on protecting your IP at Reading between 12:00 and 12:30.

There is a popular misconception that IP is only for the big boys such as multinational companies, major research universities. Nothing could be further from the truth though it is certainly the case that big businesses and institutions make far more use of the IP system and are more able to use it to their advantage. But it is important for small businesses to protect and mark money from their investments in branding, design, technology and creativity.

If you are running, or just thinking of running, your own business, you need to learn about IP. If you are in Reading you could make a start by attending the IPO's workshop. In either venue, you would do well to visit the IPO's stand.  After that, you could visit the British Library's Business and IP website as well as its UK Entrepreneur Network on Linkedin and its Facebook page. The Centre has a lot of publications on IP in print and online which you can consult at its offices in St Pancras when you are next in London. You could also attend one of the talks held at the Centre some of which are free and none of which are expensive.

You may also find articles, case notes or other materials of interest on this blog and some of the other blogs to which it is connected. You can access the others by clicking "Home" which leads to the home page of NIPC Law. There you will find a lot of articles on detailed points of IP law which would probably be of most interest to solicitors, patent and trade mark agents and other IP professionals. If you click the four-bar device in the top left-hand corner you will find menus for

NIPC Branding
Brexit
NIPC Inventors Club
Dispute Resolution
Database Right
Data Protection
Domain Name Disputes
FinTech
Licensing
Midlands Engine
Northern Powerhouse
Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court
NIPC Gulf
What is Intellectual Property Strategy?

in the first division;

What is Intellectual Property?
IP Glossary
What is a patent?
Trade Marks
Registered Designs
Registered Community Designs
Unregistered Community Designs
Unregistered Design Right
Copyright
Rights in Performances
Database Right
Duty of Confidence
Passing off
Plant Breeders' Rights
Geographical Indications
Technology Law
Entertainment and Media
Competition Law

in the second; and "Regions" in the third:

East
East Midlands
London
North West
Severn-Hafren (Bristol, Cardiff and Newport Conurbation)
West Midlands
Yorkshire

In addition, I give up to 12 hours of my time for pro bono (that is to say free) legal services every month with a one hour limit to each person or business every year which can include a face to face meeting in  London or the North of England.  If you want to take advantage of that service, call me on 020 7404 5252 or send me a message through my contact form.

Our London IP Clinics

Jane Lambert

In "Where to get free basic Information on Intellectual Property" 18 Dec 2013 I mentioned the IP Clinics in London, Portsmouth and Southampton. Well there is now a fourth.  Our very own London IP clinics which takes place at 4-5 Gray's Inn Square between 15:00 and 17:00 on the last Wednesday of every month except August and December.

I have described those clinics in more detail in "IP Clinics with a Difference" 31 Dec 2013 in London IP. The important point is that our clinics are a bit different from some of those others because we are barristers and not patent or trade mark attorneys. In that article I wrote:

"We can advise you on IP generally, IP strategy, enforcement, responding to claims by third parties, licensing, joint ventures and so much more. Although we know about patent, trade mark or design registration we do not do that work ourselves. If it appears to us that you we may need a patent, trade mark, registered design or other professional's services, we would introduce you to one of the patent or trade mark attorneys or other professionals on our panel.
We can also advise you of some of the other resources that are available such as the Business and IP Centre of the British Library and the three inventors' clubs in London. We can guide you to some of the useful on-line materials that are published by the Intellectual Property Office, European Patent Office,World Intellectual Property Office, Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys, Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys and, of course, ourselves."

If you would like a free 30 minute consultation with one of us  - which would otherwise cost you at least £250 + VAT - please call George on 020 7404 5252 or contact us through our booking form.