Posts by Vicki Strachan

Protect your Christmas product launch! So many people/businesses will want to get their new/improved products out for the Christmas market. If you want to protect those products, NOW is the time to be thinking about it. Because, once you’ve started marketing the product (or disclosed it in any way), it may be too late to…

Make sure you and your clients are thinking about intellectual property throughout the product development cycle

IP rights help you to protect the innovative parts of your business, but timing can be key. We discuss the various IP rights and what (and when) to do something to secure them so you don’t run out of time to protect your IP

A recent court case has highlighted just how complex patents can be when they involve AI. If you’re working with an Artificial Neural Network or a similar computer program, then this may useful to understand. In a recent appeal, the High Court overturned a decision by the UK Patent Office to refuse a patent application…

M&S vs Aldi Design Infringement High profile cases with big brands obviously hit the news far more than other lesser known products, and there have been a number of interesting cases over the past few years. But whether you’re a global chain or a smaller one-time inventor, it’s always wise to be careful. In recent…

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has published its “IP for a Creative and Innovative UK Strategy 2024 to 2027”; and identifies three “pillars” that will underpin its work in the three years ahead. These are: The Strategy goes on to talk about the “transformation” being undergone at the UKIPO “that will make working with…

In the news recently, we have been told that the UK is now out of recession.  It sounds like good news, and of course it will be once the economy starts to settle down and, hopefully, grow.  But investment in innovation still seems to be sluggish, and one wonders if potential investors and funding bodies…

The patent process in the UK (and most other countries) is relatively long (usually 3-4 years), and there are various deadline-driven stages and procedures that need to be followed. To the uninitiated, this process can seem complex and laborious, so in our final blog in this FAQ series, we will look at what is involved…

When you’re trying to decide what might need protecting, start by thinking about what it is that will distinguish your business and/or product(s) from those of your nearest competitors. What features will make your customers buy your product rather than any other similar product in the market. It is these features that really should be…

I am often asked, what is patentable? Well, you could try reading the Patent Office guide to patentability in their Manual of Patent Practice, which is long, complicated and rather laborious to say the least. Or you can read on for a quick and easy guide… A patent can be obtained for a product, process,…