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Intellectual Property Protection for Higher Education Institutions

As a firm we have broad experience working for Universities, Academic Research Institutions, and University Spin-outs .

Our unique IP360 offering brings together a multidisciplinary team including Patent Attorneys, commercial IP lawyers and litigators, allowing us to support the protection and commercialisation of IP throughout its lifecycle. This means that not only are we able to help academic inventors protect their innovations, but we can also support their respective technology transfer offices in associated licencing and industrial partnering programs. Our leading employment and immigration practice can also provide advice on research collaborations including visiting academics and researchers.

Our Intellectual Property experts will work with you to commercialise your inventions and the IP attached to it to create positive social and economic impact. When you need to stake a claim on new technology, patents are your strongest protection. Technological change is moving at an ever-increasing speed and the number of patent applications filed and granted is mirroring that trend. The result is that the importance of patents in protecting your business is growing - and at the same time - the difficulty of avoiding infringing patents is increasing.

Working with spin-outs

We work with spinouts (or their investors) to devise a strategic approach to their innovation protection strategy, and also to help optimise their approach to freedom to operate. This goes beyond conducting freedom to operate opinions, but where third parties’ patents are identified, we work to develop strategies to address these (be it accepting the risk, designing around, seeking declarations of non-infringement or invalidity, or taking a licence).

Finally, where a spinout seeks to enforce a patent, an issue may arise regarding prior disclosure by the inventor. Again, this may be pre-empted through employee policies and training.

Turn our insights to your advantages

Our team will take the time to understand what you need to help you achieve your goals. You can turn our specialist insight to your advantage and tap into all the knowledge you need.

Assess your options and understand the risks

When it comes to planning and securing your future, you can call on our expertise. We specialise in helping you assess your strategic options and understanding the risks, so you can put us to work to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Profit from your IP

Making profit from your IP means profiting from the value created. There are different ways of doing this. Producing and selling products is one option. Selling your IP is a second option, and licensing out its rights is another. Our specialist teams can provide legal assistance on all options.

Universities we work with include:

  • Aberdeen University
    • University College London 
    • University of Durham
    • King’s College London
    •  Massachusetts Institute of Technology
      • University of London
      • Chinese University of Hong Kong
        • University of Oxford
        •  Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
        • Approved APUC supplier for Scottish Universities and Colleges
         

        You can view our latest Intellectual Property blog posts below and our full blog here.

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