There is widespread appreciation among higher education institutions (HEIs) of the value of intellectual property.
However, there can be a tension between the desire of academics to publish the results of research in order to further their own careers, as well as to help their HEI in demonstrating impact for REF purposes and the need to ensure that IP protection strategy has been considered and any necessary pre-publication steps undertaken beforehand. This is of more acute significance as universities seek to realise commercial value from the fruits of academic research.
Our team of intellectual property lawyers regularly advises HEIs on how best to protect, use, license and enforce intellectual property rights in the UK and internationally and avoid infringing the rights of others.
The team at VWV was professional, responsive and supportive in providing advice in a fast moving and cutting edge area of law. The level of resource made available was exceptional (while competitively priced) and the focus of all the team was unstintingly to support the University and protect its reputation.
Research and development activities raise a wide range of intellectual property issues and opportunities. We can help draft and review contracts and advise how to protect the intellectual property rights created in the course of a research project. We can also advise on the exploitation of research using spin-out companies.
The names and crests of HEIs can be extremely valuable. More substantial higher education institutions register these trade marks in the UK and internationally in order to protect them from misuse and we frequently provide this registration service.
The rules surrounding the ownership and infringement of copyright are complex and sometimes counter-intuitive. Every day HEIs create copyright works and use other people's copyright works. Our experienced lawyers can advise on how to avoid the many pitfalls associated with copyright.
We frequently advise on copyright issues arising in relation to the internet. For example, how best to secure rights in your website, or how to remove infringing or abusive material from websites operated by third parties. Our intellectual property team is frequently instructed to advise HEIs on a wide spectrum of intellectual property issues and is ideally placed to help you.
Our Education team is ranked in the top tier of Chambers & Partners UK wide category and Legal 500.
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