How IP Lawyers Can Help Me Protect A Design Feature In My Business

You run a business and as a serious entrepreneur you have had a particular feature or shape designed on one of your products. Well, you need specialist IP Lawyers.

The design could be the handle of a jug or the shape in an ornament or product; it will most likely have been done by a machine during 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.

Isn't it natural you should protect your unique design feature in order to avoid theft or copying? If theft occurred, think of the expense, not just in terms of financial loss but at the expense of huge emotional distress. 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.

Having the know-how about IP rights and their protection is crucial to business success. 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. Under your own terms, as a registered user of this design, you can 'allow' others to use your design.

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 also claim damages for its 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.