Patents protect inventions by providing a monopoly for up to twenty years in return for a disclosure of the invention to the public. A patent can provide protection for a broad inventive concept or a narrow technological advance. The protection is a valuable business asset and an important commercial tool.

A patent is essentially a commercial tool to help an innovator to exploit an innovation. It helps keep the competition at bay while a new product or process is established in the market place. It can be the basis of a license agreement providing the owner with royalties when someone else exploits the invention.

The key to a successful patent is the patent specification. This needs to be right from the start. It must include as much technical information about the invention as possible, and it must contain the right legal definitions of the invention to ensure that proper protection is afforded.

We have a large number of European Patent attorneys and Chartered Patent Attorneys who handle a very diverse range of technical subject-matter. Flexible, multi-disciplined working groups are set up depending on the subject-matter involved and the specific needs of each of our clients.

We provide comprehensive services in most technical fields as well as specialised expertise in Biotechnology & Life Sciences, Chemistry, Electronics and Software, Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Physics Based Technologies, Computer technology, Telecommunications, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical and other areas with solicitors who specialise in intellectual property offer professional advice on patent validity and infringement and can supervise both offensive and defensive litigation in the Patent Office and Patents County Court and patent and trademark professionals throughout the other European countries and around the world.

While it is possible to draft your own patent specification - just as it is possible for you to represent yourself in the Courts - it is not wise to do so unless you really know what you are doing. It may appear easy to get a patent granted with the help of the officials at the Patent Office, but there is a considerable risk of that patent being worth nothing when you need to stop the competition, or negotiate a license.

If we handle your patent application for you, your patent specification will be drafted by an experienced patent attorney or agent, who will then deal with the necessary negotiations with the UK Intellectual Property Office to obtain the best possible outcome. All the formal stages of the application will be handled by an experienced and qualified patent administrator. We can take care of protecting your invention so you can get on with exploiting it for the good of your business.

If you need protection in other countries, we can handle all the stages for you, using where necessary our network of qualified patent attorney contacts throughout the world.

We have extensive experience of representing clients at the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office, European Patent Office, and OHIM, the European Community Trademarks and Designs Office, not only for the filing and prosecuting of patent and trademark applications but also in opposition and appeal proceedings for both domestic and overseas clients. Our United Kingdom and European offices enables our patent and trademark professionals to maintain regular contact with examiners at the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office, European Patent Office, and OHIM, the European Community Trademarks and Designs Office by attending interviews, opposition proceedings and appeals.

For filing an application for patent in the United Kingdom, please click here.