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Protecting your business IP (part 2) Last month we looked at the first steps you need to take in protecting the intellectual property within your business. In this month’s E-Zine there are more details on what you need to do to protect your ideas, corporate identify and more.
Copyright
If you are not sure what this covers – read our more detailed fact sheet here.
Do ensure that you own your own copyright on all items involved—beware the consultant designer. You need to get them to transfer copyright to you.
Trade marks, registered designs and patents
These are looked at in more detail on our website.
It is wise to check, and it can be done quite cheaply, that nobody else has registered a trade mark for a new thing you wish to name. This is a relatively inexpensive part of these forms of protection. The rest tends to be very expensive.
You will probably find it wise to have an initial fixed fee discussion - there is nothing much worse than spending a lot of money on seeking a patent when you’re unlikely to succeed - much better to spend that money on marketing your new product.
Moral of the story:
- Some protection is relatively inexpensive
- Get protected sooner rather than later
- Keep the new idea confidential
- Find out what you can do, get a budget, then do an informal costs / benefits analysis
For further advice on protecting your intellectual property call Andrew Woolley on 01789 267377 or visit our website. |
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The Law Breakers Almost half of the UK’s top companies are breaking email privacy laws, according to research commissioned by communications specialist Pitney Bowes.
The study revealed that 48% of businesses are not complying with the EU Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications, which became law in December 2003.
When you consider that the amount of SPAM is on the increase - the number of unsolicited emails worldwide increased by 115% to 35 billion, up from 15 billion last year - you can see where the problems lie.
For details on the email regulations click here.
Reader Offers Midlands based IT recruitment specialists, Right Step are offering Woolley & Co E-zine readers online IT skills testing at no cost.
To take advantage of this offer you need to apply before 1st November 2004.
Click here to find out more.
Competition to win consultancy worth up to £10,000 to communicate anything in ten minutes
UK Communications Consultancy, Cognac, are giving up to £10,000 of consulting services to an organisation to clearly communicate what they do in ten minutes.
For more details visit: www.cognac.co.uk and quote www.e-lawfirm.co.uk.
Woolley & Co will prepare a bespoke confidentiality agreement to help protect your intellectual property for £150 + VAT.
Contact Andrew Woolley with details of your requirements. |
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