Elliot Mather is please to support:

Intellectual Property & IT

Our services

Intellectual property rights
Information technology

For further information contact:

Chesterfield (01246 231 288)
Paul Hollyer

Intellectual Property Rights

For many businesses, ideas, thoughts and inventions are their stock in trade. As valuable products of work, they are no less protected than the tangible items we can patent and protect. At Elliot Mather, our commercial law team can guide your business in making legal provisions specific and beneficial to your set of circumstances.

How we can help

We work to clarify the specific uses and suitability of each of your IP options like copyright, registered trademark or a patent. It could be that you need to draw up additional contracts to protect your patent, such as ones that protect it from employee ownership claims. Or you may be looking into copyrighting something where a design registration would be more suitable.

IP is a complex area but for modern businesses, a vital one – intellectual property is no less valuable in many cases than the tangible products we associate more readily with trade and commerce.

Businesses can take cost effective steps to safeguard their business with protections like these, which we will assist and advise on:

Patent
Trademarks
Copyright
Design registration
Passing–off (a means of protection where no trademark exists)
Cyber-sitting (the practice of buying up and ‘holding hostage’ the most saleable URLs)
The licensing and transfer of intellectual property rights (both registered and unregistered).

Information Technology

Information technology is core to most businesses nowadays, opening up new revenue streams and allowing for the smooth operating of the company. The internet and the capabilities of IT systems has presented many business opportunities, but of course with the development of the web and IT in general, comes a whole new set of legalities and contractual arrangements for business to navigate.

How we can help

Elliot Mather’s IT team is expert in drafting contracts and the legislation surrounding IT and its safe, effective application. Much of our contractual work is relates software licensing, computer and IT maintenance contracts and hosting services. We also offer clients the understanding they need of relevant legislation, such as the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act so that they are aware of both their rights and their responsibilities, and can work accordingly.

Our expertise includes:

Drafting of source code deposit or escrow agreements for users and suppliers
Drafting and negotiation of software licensing agreements, hardware maintenance contracts, software evaluation agreements and domain hosting contracts or service level agreements
Advice on and assessment of compliance to relevant legislation, such as data protection and freedom of information.