Leading experts in registered and unregistered design protection across the globe We’ll guide you on the best protection for your business, safeguarding it from competitors. The law around designs can be complex. There are decisions to make about which designs can and should be registered, which designs will benefit from unregistered design protection, which elements of a design should be protected, and the geographic territories in which such protection is required. Our specialist design attorneys are leading experts in registered and unregistered design protection across the globe and can guide you through this complicated area of law. Design rights as part of your IP protection: Design protection can complement patent and trade mark protection, and in some instances is the only form of protection available to new innovations and designs. Design rights can be registered or unregistered and protect the appearance of your products and branding. They have many advantages and provide valuable protection, frequently at a lower cost than patents and trade marks. Specialist design attorneys: At Marks & Clerk, we have attorneys who focus specifically on design IP. As this forms a substantial part of their work, they have considerable experience in advising on, securing, enforcing and maximising the value of design rights worldwide. You can be confident of getting the highest quality advice on any issue relating to design protection. Strategic advice: We’ll develop a strategy that gives you high levels of protection while being cost effective. We’ll advise you on which key features of a design should be registered and which features may be best protected by unregistered design rights. We’ll guide you on the best protection for your business, safeguarding it from competitors. International expertise: Our design attorneys have extensive expertise in securing registered and unregistered design protection on an international basis and have detailed knowledge of the differing requirements in all jurisdictions. We can ensure that you secure the broadest possible protection for your designs. Clients: We work with a variety of clients across different sectors such as fashion, transport, medical technology, digital/software, and consumer and industrial products. We’ve handled many large scale global filing programs, and have successfully enforced our clients’ rights around the world. Whether you have design processes already in place or want to explore design rights in more detail, we can offer you tailored advice and work with you to plan and implement an appropriate protection strategy. We can: - review competitor and sector activity in the geographical locations important to your business and growth - help you design around third party rights to avoid infringement - secure protection for your designs in the territories of commercial interest to you - advise you on possible alternatives including unregistered rights, where a design can’t be registered - advise on ways to leverage your designs and maximise the return on the IP in your designs - offer guidance and support around issues such as validity and infringement - represent you directly before the Designs Registry and the courts in enforcing and/or defending your designs.
