Intellectual Property Law Specialists
S.H. & Associates are a dedicated intellectual property law practice offering accurate, timely and commercially realistic advice to individuals, small and medium sized companies and major brands. Our clients include Next Retail, Ty Inc (the makers of Beanie Babies), Gü Puds, Lipsy Limited, medical companies, wealth management companies and individual designers.
We understand that not all cases and clients are the same. A start-up business may have a limited budget and need staged and costed advice about the key steps needed to protect its intellectual property. A major dispute requires a rapid and detailed assessment of the strength of the claim brought by or against our client in the context of the businesses’ commercial interests. We ensure that we understand your business needs as well as your intellectual property needs.
Where outside agencies need to be involved, we have good working relationships with Trading Standards and HMRC in relation to counterfeiting and the importation of infringing products, and links with excellent IP practitioners worldwide.
Starting Out
Once you have your idea, how do you protect it whilst looking to develop it? Timely advice will ensure that you obtain the protection you need when you need it.
If you are in negotiations with a third party to distribute, develop or manufacture your products, it is important that the contract protects your existing and future intellectual property rights.
Enforcement
If you find that your product or process has been copied by a third party, there are a wide range of remedies available. We will help you to find the solution which best suits the strength of your claim and your commercial interests.
Maintenance
There are simple steps you can take to ensure:
1. that you know what IPR your business owns;
2. that your business owns what you think it owns. Many business owners assume that the business owns rights in products developed by third parties, when this is not the case. This can be remedied with a short agreement.
3. that you are taking steps to maintain your IP, from simply using the ® or ™ signs to policing unauthorised copying.
Defence
Often unintentionally, many companies and individuals find themselves on the end of a claim for trade mark, design right, copyright or patent infringement. We will work with you to seek a swift and cost-effective resolution.
We are delighted to announce that as of 1 October we have merged with
Open Plan Law.
Our firm will grow to include Anna Skurczynska and Beth Eaton and we will trade as Open Plan Law, a boutique IP practice.
Please see here a link to the Open Plan Law website www.openplanlaw.com
In practical terms, as of 30 September 2022 S.H. & Associates will cease to offer legal advice.
However, any emails that you send to shadland@shaip.co.uk will be forwarded to me at Open Plan Law and I will respond to you in the usual way.
We look forward to welcoming you to Open Plan Law.
