Our services:
- Design review and pre-filing advice
- Filing design applications in the UK, Europe and internationally
- Navigating the design application process through to acceptance
- Design litigation
- Monitoring and maintaining a designs portfolio with strategic review and advice
- Defending designs from third party challenges, including opposition and revocation proceedings
- Infringement opinions and advice on enforcing design rights
- Advising on commercial agreements such as assignments, licences, securities and co-ownership issues
We've got it covered
Click on the sections below to find out more about registered designs and how we can help.
What can be protected with a registered design
You can protect aspects of the design of your product including its shape and/or decoration.
When to file a design
To be valid, the design features must be ‘new’ and have ‘individual character’ at the date of filing the application to register the design.
How to protect a design
Registered design protection is available for the outward appearance or ornamentation of the whole or a part of a product.
Filing a design internationally
Designs are territorial and only provide protection in the country in which they are registered.
Case studies
Case Study
Vintage Enterprises
For the love of cheese
Shape marks are notoriously difficult to protect. Find out how we secured a trade mark for one farm’s signature, heart-shaped cheese.
Case Study
La Hacienda
Opposing a copycat product
What can you do when a competitor is selling (and has registered a design for) a product that copies one of your own?
Case Study
Escape Fitness
The advantage of combining design and patent protection
If you spot a competitor selling a product identical to your own and you have both design and patent protection, you can take immediate legal action.
Related reads
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22-04-2021
World IP Day 2021 — how to get started with IP for start-ups and SMEs
Get started on your IP journey this World IP Day with our resources for start-ups and SMEs.
IP tips
19-02-2021
Creative agencies: how and why to protect your intellectual property
Read our complete guide to IP for creatives and learn how to protect your brand and client work.
Industry news
01-12-2020
Brexit — upcoming changes to trade marks, designs and address for service rules
We explain the headline changes to IP rights set to come into play from 1 January 2021.
Some of our team
Dr Martin Neilson
Partner - Patents
Dr Simon Mitchell
Partner - Patents
Dr Terence Broderick
Patent Attorney
Get in touch
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Alternatively, you can contact us directly and speak to a member of our specialist team.