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Coulson & Rule is dedicated to the practice of intellectual property law. Our attorneys are experienced in advising clients in a range of IP matters including patents, trade marks, copyright and design.

Patents

Patent procurement is fundamental to our practice. We have attorneys who are experts in patent drafting and patent prosecution who can represent clients directly before the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO), the European Patent Office (EPO), and the World Intellectual property Office (WIPO).

In addition to providing advice throughout the patenting process based on our years of experience, our patent attorneys are also highly skilled at managing corporate patent portfolios which cover a range of inter-related inventions. Prosecution of patent applications is conducted with skill at Coulson & Rule.

With years of experience of prosecuting patent applications domestically and internationally, we are careful to prepare patent applications with technical and legal precision.

Our attorneys also have experience and skill in:

  • Strategies for protecting inventions.
  • Invention spotting - identifying patentable inventions and advising on invention harvesting techniques.
  • Strategies for protecting inventions that are commercially sound and within budget.
  • Analysing and responding to official communications, office actions and examination reports and advising on the likelihood of success of pending applications.
  • Attacking and defending patents through opposition, limitation and revocation proceedings.
  • Providing validity opinions.
  • Providing infringement opinions.
  • Maintenance of patents and meticulous records management.
  • Restoration of patents.
  • Restoration of the right to priority.
  • Patent watching.
  • Transferring medium and large portfolios of IP including assignment preparation, preparation of accurate IP schedules and recording transfers in jurisdictions worldwide.

Trade marks

At Coulson & Rule we recognise the importance of brand protection. Our attorneys are highly experienced in:

  • Advising on what makes a registerable trade mark.
  • Preparation, filing and prosecution of trade mark applications
  • Successfully opposing and successfully defending oppositions.
  • Providing freedom to operate and infringement opinions.
  • Maintenance of trade marks and records management.
  • Trade mark watching services.
  • Enforcing trade mark registrations online, in marketplaces such as eBay (TM).

With years of experience of applying to register trade marks before the UKIPO, EUIPO (formerly OHIM) and in overseas jurisdictions, we know what can be registered and what can't.

Copyright

Our attorneys provide advice on copyright matters, including when copyright applies, the formal requirements for its subsistence, ownership and duration. When third parties are involved in the design of your products and logos, we can advise on who owns the copyright. We are experienced in taking the necessary steps to ensure that your business is protected, owns all of its IP assets and successfully gets copyright transferred to your ownership where necessary. We also provide infringement opinions and advice about database rights and protecting computer programs.

Designs

Our attorneys can represent clients directly before the UK Designs Registry and before the Community Designs Registry (CDR) of EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office).

Our design services include:

  • Advising on registerable designs.
  • Preparation, filing and prosecution of registered design applications.
  • Infringement opinions.
  • Advising on UK unregistered design rights.
  • Enforcing registered design rights on online market places such as eBay (TM).
  • Maintenance of registered designs and records management.