Intellectual Property
At Royds we understand the value and importance you place on protecting your Intellectual Property (IP) rights. We focus on safeguarding IP rights to deter infringement and to ensure that our clients are able to maximise the full value of their IP assets. We combine our technical knowledge with our commercial approach to business to enable us to obtain a real understanding of our clients’ requirements, providing sector specific, pragmatic and strategic advice to individuals, entrepreneurs and businesses.
Our specialist IP unit advises clients on brand protection, promotion and exploitation together with all issues affecting and concerning IP rights including trademarks, patents and designs. Royds also advise on product/brand licensing arrangements, copyright issues, privacy and information practice, trade secrecy and confidentiality and data protection.
We offer our clients effective IP management in addition to effective advice on protecting inventions and IP rights. Our highly experienced team assist in:
- applications for registration of trade marks and designs (UK and EU);
- commercialising inventions;
- marketing brands;
- licensing know-how;
- commercial agreements including agency and distribution agreements;
- enforcement and defence of IP infringement (please see our Litigation department section); and
- protection of confidential information and trade secrets.
Our clients come from a wide range of industries, including music and entertainment, media and publishing, technology and telecoms, aviation and transport, and giftware. In particular, we have a significant number of clients, in the UK and overseas, in the jewellery and luxury goods markets and the advertising and marketing industries. We advise on a full range of issues in relation to these clients. Our Litigation department has expertise in domestic and multi-state litigation cases defending the IP rights of global brands whilst our Commercial department regularly advises on regulatory compliance and specific issues relating to direct marketing, online advertising and e-commerce including the legal minefield of using Google AdWords to help maximize online marketing effectiveness. For further information on these two sectors please see our jewellery and luxury goods section and marketing and advertising section.
Royds is a member of the Intellectual Property Lawyers Association and Interleges (an international association of independent law firms). These associations enable us to be at the forefront of the ever changing IP legal framework and allow us to provide advice and assistance on all IP and brand issues internationally as well as in the UK. Royds also operates the “Copywatch” scheme for the British Jewellery Association and British Travelgoods and Accessories Association. Each year members of our IP unit attend the Spring Fair at NEC in February offering advice and assistance to the BJA, BTAA and other giftware clients.
We provide a telephone intellectual property rights helpline to the British Jewellery Giftware International division of British Jewellery Giftware and Finishing Federation.
Please contact John North for further information.
