Wynne-Jones IP launch a team dedicated to helping designers

Full-service intellectual property law firm, Wynne-Jones IP, has formed a new, dedicated Designs Team to help designers, content creators and innovators get expert advice in an often overlooked and much under-used area of intellectual property.

Wynne-Jones already provides advice relating to all aspects of IP protection – including designs – but the formation of the new Designs Team puts designs on the same level as more established services specific to patents and trade marks.

Headed up by Victor Caddy, who is a registered trade mark and design attorney, as well as a director of the company, the Wynne-Jones’ Designs Team provides a suite of services from pre-filing consultancy (with designs, choosing the rights representations of the design is crucial to determining the strength of protection) and filing applications for registration (or providing a helping hand for those who prefer to file their own applications), through to enforcement, strategy and renewal.   The Team also guides the movers and shakers of the design world through the complex post-Brexit world of unregistered design rights.

Victor is joined by patent attorney and designs expert, Jason Stevens, paralegal, Maximilian Theiss, and senior renewals expert, Charlotte Castledine.   

Speaking about the launch of the new Team, Victor, who is also an expert on Brexit, said that it’s never been more important to protect your ideas.

“Design registration is complex, arcane and often misunderstood.  Applications to register designs in the UK are not examined by the UK Intellectual Property Office (unlike patent and trade mark applications).  Instead, they are rubber stamped.  So, how you file applications for registration is vital.

“This is why specialist advice is essential.   And why so few IP firms proactively encourage their clients to register designs.  Traditionally, designs fall between two stools.  Patent attorneys do design work when they have to, and so too do trade mark attorneys.  Very few attorneys specialise in designs.

“As a consequence, the design system tends to be undervalued and under-used.  And yet, now, with Brexit, the opportunities (as well as the risks) are greater than they have ever been.  For the unwary, the disclosure of new designs at the wrong time or the wrong place may leave some designs without protection where it’s needed.  But for those in the know, this is a chance for designs to flourish as a valuable part of an IP portfolio, like never before.

“I wanted to launch a dedicated Designs Team to help people take advantage of these opportunities, as well as avoiding the pitfalls.  I am excited about the Team and what we can do.  Jason and I both have career histories of specialising in designs and I am a member of the Designs Team of the brand owners’ association, Marques (www.marques.org). Max has a tremendous eye for detail, which is perfect for design work, and Charlotte brings a wealth of experience in design renewal and maintenance.

“Already, the service has been resoundingly popular with designers from outside the UK, looking to secure their design rights in the UK after Brexit.  Now we want to spread the message domestically as well”.