Can IP Lawyers Help Protect My Business Design?

As an entrepreneur you may have designed a product which is new and paramount to your business. If this is the case, then you need specialist intellectual property advice from an IP lawyer.

The design could be the handle of a jug or the shape in an ornament or product; it will probably have been applied by an industrial process. The feature or design must have given the finished article extra appeal or judgement not, for example, an internal component of a product that is not in view when in use.

Doesn't it make sense that you should protect your design from others copying or stealing it? If your design was stolen think of the stress it will cause you having to deal with this threat to you business. Your design constitutes 'Intellectual Property' (often referred to as IP) and consulting experienced IP Lawyers for legal protection from infringement by others is a cost effective procedure.

Understanding and implementing your Intellectual Property Rights and how to protect them is absolutely vital. Protection can usually be arranged both in Europe and globally and your IP Lawyers may be able to file a single application for UK and across Europe.

A lawyer can register your design to give you a right on the manufactured appearance of your particular design feature. This can easily be renewed for a 5 year term up to 25 years.

As soon as this is done your design is protected and therefore you have the right to prosecute those guilty of infringing it.

Then your design becomes recognised and official Intellectual Property which, as with any other commodity in your business strategy, can be hired out, imported, sold or licensed. This becomes your exclusive, enforceable right for any article on which your design feature has been added. As the registered owner of the design, you are able to licence out the right to use the design to others.

With support from your IP Lawyers, the protection you have as the owner of a registered design gives you the right to begin legal proceedings against anyone who copies - and therefore infringes - your design and you can get compensation for unauthorised use.

A 3rd party may have copied your design and you can instruct your IP lawyer to begin legal infringement proceedings as soon as possible - and claim subsequent damages. Furthermore, the fact that a design is registered may be enough to deter any potential infringement.


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Contact the specialist IP Lawyers at Bonallack and Bishop for intellectual property advice you can trust. Tim Bishop is senior partner at the firm, responsible for all major strategic decisions. He has grown the firm by 1000% in 13 years and has plans for further expansion.