Home / Expertise / Commercial / Intellectual property

Intellectual Property Law

Our people Related services Recent articles

At Wright Hassall, our intellectual property solicitors advise businesses and individuals on how to manage, protect, and exploit their intellectual property (IP) assets. This includes brands, inventions, designs, know-how, and creative works in literary, artistic, and musical domains. Our approach, often referred to as non-contentious intellectual property, focuses on proactive IP management.

"Recognised for its deft handling of a range of matters, including software licensing, trade mark prosecution and brand strategy. Clients say: "They very quickly got an understanding of our business and products."

Identifying and Maximising IP Assets

The first step for many clients is working with us to identify the IP used and owned by their business.
We assess whether these assets are being utilized for profit and ensure they are protected effectively.
Intellectual property can be complex. Many think of it as merely innovative products and designs, but
it encompasses much more, including your brand name, logo, reputation, business plan, specialist
know-how, and customer data. As the world becomes increasingly digital and technology-driven, the
importance of IP protection grows for both businesses and individuals. Our team provides
comprehensive IP audits for businesses of all sizes, from start-ups and SMEs to large multinational
organisations.

Our expertise

Trademarks >

Patents >

Design rights >

Infringements >

Trademarks

Trademarks protect various forms of branding, including business and product names, logos, shapes,
sounds, and even smells. After identifying key branding elements, our IP solicitors can help you

register your trademarks in the appropriate jurisdictions, ensuring they are protected against misuse. Our team conducts thorough searches to identify conflicts and assists in registering your trademarks in relevant categories.

Domain Names

Domain names are a related form of IP protection that overlaps with trademark registrations. Having
a registered trademark makes it easier to prevent cybersquatters from hijacking domain names
relevant to your business.

Copyright

Copyright protects fixed or recorded creative activities, such as written text, software code, drawings, photographs, films, broadcasts, and music. Copyright arises automatically upon creation if the work is capable of protection, without the need for registration.

"A client says: 'A fantastic team: good commercial awareness, flexible, and they coached us through the situation to raise our knowledge and capabilities.'"

Chambers UK

Patents

A patent grants an inventor the right to stop others from making, using, or selling their invention.
Disclosure of an invention before filing a patent application can result in the loss of potential
protection. Our specialist lawyers and patent attorneys can help you navigate the patent application process, ensuring your innovations are adequately protected.

Design rights & product designs

Design protection, often underused in the UK, safeguards the shape or outward appearance of a
product. While basic unregistered protection arises automatically, stronger protection is available
through registration. Our solicitors help you understand and secure design protection before
launching your products to market.

Dealing with intellectual property infringements

IP rights are infringed when protected works are used, copied, or exploited without consent. Our top-
ranked IP dispute resolution team works proactively and cost-effectively to handle such infringements, ensuring your rights are enforced and protected.

Why Choose Wright Hassall?

Wright Hassall is one of the UK’s largest full-service law firms, with the resources and flexibility to
assist businesses of all sizes across various industry sectors. We help everyone from lone inventors
and owner-managed businesses to multinational corporations. Our approach is tailored to each
client, ensuring a deep understanding of your business and IP needs.