Management of Your IP

It is best if all your IP is under the watchful eye of one firm of attorneys.

That way, they can monitor changes in policies and procedures around the world and alert you to impending changes and what you need to do.

They can also quickly prepare complete IP schedules from their records – instead of you having to carry out searches of each national/regional/international register to compile an up to date list of your IP – or to contact multiple firms of attorneys for that information.

One attorney should rule them all (NZ is the home of Middle Earth after all).

A case in point is the impact of Brexit.  The United Kingdom has left the European Union, the impact of this departure takes full effect from 11 pm on the 31st December 2020 (UK time).

Currently European Trade Mark and Design registrations provide Trade Mark and Design rights in the United Kingdom, however, after 31st December 2020, European Trade Mark and Design registrations will no longer provide Trade Mark and Design rights in the United Kingdom. 

Granted European Patents and European Patent Applications are not directly affected by the impact of Brexit.  This is because the European Patent System transcends the European Union and has member states outside of the European Union.  As such your Granted European Patent will continue to be effective if validated for the United Kingdom and your European Patent Application will continue to designate the United Kingdom, thus allowing the validation of your European Patent Application in the United Kingdom once the European Patent Application is Granted.

However, European Union and the United Kingdom came to an arrangement whereby at 11pm on the 31st December 2020 (UK time) standard UK Trade Mark and Design Registrations will automatically be created on the UK Trade Mark and Design registers.  The created standard UK Trade Mark and Design registrations will be fully identical to the current European Trade Mark and Design registrations and will retain all relevant details and dates to that of the European Trade Mark and Design registrations.

By having your IP under the watchful eye of one firm of attorneys will negate or at the very least lessen the impact of Brexit will have on your EU Trade Mark and Design Registrations after 11pm on the 31st December 2020.  This is because the changes resulting from the creation of UK Trade Mark and Design registrations will be managed by and communicated to you by one firm of attorneys only, instead of been managed by and communicated to you by multiple firms of attorneys.

If you have your IP portfolio spread over multiple firms of attorneys consider putting your IP portfolio under the management of one firm of attorneys, such as PIPERS IP, in order to allow effective and cost-effective monitoring and management of your IP portfolio.

For further information about consolidating your IP portfolio to one firm of attorneys please contact us by email at mail@piperpat.com.

Tom Robertson
Australian and New Zealand Registered Patent Attorney
Australian Registered Trade Mark Attorney
trobertson@piperpat.com

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