Monday 9 July 2018

Intellectual property advice in North East England - Tips for the next George Stephenson or Catherine Cookson

George Stephenson


























Jane Lambert

If you invent a new method of transportation like George and Robert Stephenson or write a blockbuster novel like Catherine Cookson you would expect some sort of reward for your efforts. But you will only get it if people travel on your conveyance or buy copies of your books. They may not do that if they can travel slightly more cheaply on someone else's railway or buy knock offs of your books at a lower price.

That's where intellectual property comes in. Intellectual property (usually abbreviated to "IP") is the collective name for the bundle of rights that protect investment in intellectual assets, that is to say brands, designs, technology and creative works. Thus, patents grant inventors a monopoly of a new invention and copyrights confer upon authors exclusive rights to reproduce their literary works.

But IP rights cannot be unlimited or unconditional as monopolies and restrictions are bad for consumers and the economy generally. In making and enforcing the laws that confer those rights Parliament and the courts impose limits and conditions that have to be observed.  Get them wrong and you lose your legal protection.  You may even end up paying money to an unscrupulous competitor.

Clearly you need professional guidance but that is not entirely straightforward because no lawyer or patent or trade mark attorney will know your business as well as you do.  He or she may suggest methods of protection that work for many businesses but not necessarily yours.  You need to know a little bit about IP and how it works in order to instruct your professional adviser properly and understand his or her advice.

A good starting point is the IP for business: events, guidance, tools and case studies page of the government website.  That contains links to:
You may also find useful training videos on the IPO's YouTube channel.

Another good online resource is the British Library's Business and IP Centre which offers the following services:
  • information on IP, copies of IPO and EPO literature
  • free 30 min enquiry service
  • advice on searching
  • free public access to internet, IP information resources, databases
  • fee based document supply service
  • commissioned novelty, current awareness and other IP searches
  • bespoke training sessions
  • Public Availability Date service
  • Business Information Advice Sessions
  • referrals to other advice/service providers
  • Comprehensive, fully-funded support programme for businesses specifically looking to grow.
The British Library is part of a national network of Business and IP Centres and patent libraries which includes Newcastle City Library  The Newcastle Business and IP Centre offers talks, workshops and clinics for local residents either free of charge or at a modest cost.

One of the most useful links on the P for business: events, guidance, tools and case studies web page is headed Seeking Intellectual Property AdviceThe page describes the services that are available online on the Government and British Library websites and the professional services offered by patent and trade mark attorneys and specialist intellectual property solicitors and barristers. As the information on barristers is a bit thin I wrote IP Services from Barristers  in NIPC News on who barristers are, what they do and how to instruct them.  I also mentioned their unique advantages.

Anyone wishing to discuss this article or IP advice in general should call me on 020 7404 5252 during office hours or send me a message through my contact form.

Friday 6 July 2018

Northern Powerhouse Business Summit - Great Innovators


Standard YouTube Licence

Jane Lambert

The Great Exhibition of the North describes itself as "a three-month celebration of the North of England’s pioneering spirit and the impact of our inventors, artists and designers. It’s a chance to show how our innovative spirit has shaped the world and is building the economy of tomorrow." One of the principal events of the Exhibition is the Northern Powerhouse Business Summit which has been taking place in Newcastle upon Tyne between 4 and 6 July 2018.  As my business is innovation I attended the first day of the Summit on Great Innovators. The other days focused on Great Opportunities and Great Futures.

The Summit took place in a building known as "The Boiler Shop" which is just behind Newcastle central station. According to its website the Boiler Shop was constructed in the 1820s for the world’s first locomotive works, Robert Stephenson & Company.  It was converted into an auditorium and conference centre in 2016.  The conference was opened by Pat Ritchie, Chief Executive of Newcastle City Council. She was followed by 15 other speakers who discussed their contribution to all sorts of projects ranging from developing inexpensive portable diagnostic equipment for use in remote rural communities to planting fruit and vegetables on vacant plots in Todmorden. The conference was chaired by Herb Kim whom I had first met some 10 years at events in Leeds and Manchester.

As the topic for the day was Great Innovators I had come to Newcastle expecting talks on the latest developments in science and technology.  While there was some of that in excellent presentations by Florence Diss of Google, Elaine Warburton of QuantuMDx and Sam Chapman of The Floow it soon became clear that the word "innovation" was to be given the broadest possible interpretation.  I make no complaint about that because I learnt a lot from the talks on all sorts of topics from recalibrating success in business from the chief executive of Grant Thornton to educating young people on the consequences of their decisions through Trylife's interactive screenings.

It would not be unfair to describe the event as a "summit" as there were some important speakers at the conference but I am not sure how much business was done there. My guess is probably a lot less than at a regional Venturefest which is why I seemed to be the only intellectual property lawyer (or indeed lawyer of any kind) and neither the Intellectual Property Office nor the local Business and Intellectual Property Centre exhibited at the Boiler House. Having said that, I met some very interesting delegates at the mobile lunch counters outside the Boiler House.

Anyone wishing to discuss this article should call me on +44 (0)20 7404 5252 or send me a message through my contact form.