Patents provide monopoly rights for inventions of a technical nature. We advise on and manage the patenting process for our clients, from initial assessment of inventions through to securing grant of patents around the world.
| If you require information about patents in general, please download our Introduction to patent protection. |  |
| If you are an intellectual property attorney based outside Europe, please consult our note on UK and European patent practice. | |
The services we offer in relation to the enforcement of patents and transactions involving patent rights are outlined in their own dedicated sections.
Initial Assessment
We conduct novelty searches to help assess what aspects of an invention are new and advise on the scope of patent protection that is hence likely to be available. Similarly, we advise on whether an invention may fall foul of the various exclusions to patentability in Europe and elsewhere, such as business methods, computer software and methods of medical treatment, and the best approach to protecting inventions in these fields.
Drafting
We have expertise in drafting patent applications optimised for the legal systems of all major jurisdictions around the world. Whilst responsive to the tight time frames often dictated at this stage of the patenting process, we are uncompromising on the quality of each and every patent application we draft.
Prosecution
We prosecute patent applications to grant throughout the world. We represent clients directly before the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office, European Patent Office and World Intellectual Property Organisation. Elsewhere, we manage prosecution with the assistance of our well established network of local patent attorneys.
We manage prosecution to ensure that a consistent approach is adopted before the intellectual property offices of the various jurisdictions in which a patent is sought. Our aim is to secure grant as efficiently as possible, minimising expense to clients whenever possible, whilst ensuring that the broadest and most commercially effective protection available is obtained.
We have a strong record of success in oral proceedings before the Examining Division of the European Patent Office and represent clients at hearings before the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office, obtaining positive outcomes in more complex cases.
Management
We handle all the administrative tasks associated with obtaining patents. Due dates are docketed on our industry leading records system and we defer to clients as appropriate to their needs, with a view to minimising their administrative burden. Renewals are handled in-house, enabling us to provide a single point of contact for all aspects of the cases we handle.
To help our clients extract maximum value from their intellectual property rights, we review portfolios to help identify core patents fundamental to business development. We have found this is particularly beneficial when our clients take over existing portfolios, for example through mergers or acquisitions.
Strategy
We help our clients develop effective patent strategies to complement their commercial position. Wherever possible, we ensure that patent protection targets key products, as well as covering actual or likely competitor activities. This requires constant effort, from the time of filing a patent application through to patent expiry.
We can advise on the relative merits of seeking patent protection in different jurisdictions, as well as how to effectively forecast and manage costs. Depending on a client's resources, we adapt our approach to work effectively with commercial and technical decision makers or to integrate with an in-house legal team.
We regularly conduct reviews of rights held by our clients' competitors with a view to identifying opportunities or potential conflicts in a timely manner. We also offer a watching service to identify new filings and to monitor the progress of pending applications.
