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| Richard Trevithick
Painter John Linnell
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Jane Lambert
Considering that its population has only recently exceeded half a million, Cornwall has contributed much to science and technology over the years. Inventors like Richard Trevithick and Sir Humphry Davy are household names. Innovation continues in Cornwall in all sorts of fields and technologies from aerospace at the Aerohub to wellbeing at the Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre.
While perhaps not quite as extensive as in other parts of the UK, Cornwall appears to have a reasonably good infrastructure to support innovation in normal times. There are several university campuses in the Duchy one of which operates the Cornwall Innovation centres. At least two firms of patent attorneys have offices in Cornwall. There are maker spaces at Makernow Falmouth and the Plymouth FabLab. Just outside Cornwall, there is a Patent Information Unit at Plymouth Central Library and Business and IP Centres at Barnstaple and Exeter.
These are, of course, far from normal times but that does not mean that entrepreneurs, inventors, designers, makers and artists have to put their plans on hold. There are plenty of good online courses offered by the Business and IP Centre at the British Library in London. Recently I attended one given by Nigel Spencer entitled Research for New Business which I can thoroughly recommend. There are four today on Launching in Turbulent Times, Tech startup taster: How to get started as a non-technical founder, Interim and emergency planning for you and your business and How to attract the right investors. There are also many useful articles and videos on-site as well as lively discussion in the Centre's Linkedin and Facebook groups and twitter stream.
For more specific information on intellectual property, the best site in this country is the Intellectual Property Office ("IPO"). They have guides to intellectual property generally and the different types of intellectual property rights, that is to say, patents, trade marks, registered designs, unregistered design rights and copyrights, rights in performances and similar rights. All relevant Acts of Parliament informally updated and secondary legislation are there. So, too, are the appropriate forms and databases of previous patent, trade mark or design applications.
Other good sources of information are the World Intellectual Property Organization ("WIPO"), the UN specialist agency for intellectual property, the European Patent Office ("EPO"), an intergovernmental body that grants patents on behalf of the governments of a number of European countries including the United Kingdon and the EU Intellectual Property Office which grants EU trade marks and registered Community designs. I also like to think my own flagship blog, NIPC Law and its associated blogs some of which cover topics like invention, data protection and brexit and others such as this one that cover IP and tech issues in specific regions.
Of course, online resources will only get an enquirer so far. There will be times when he or she will need to confer with his or her peers through organizations like Software Cornwall. There will also be times when he or she will need to take professional advice. Questions that arise in the course of business include "How do I stop competitors copying or imitating this product that I spent years and a fortune on developing?", "Someone claims that he can stop me from using my domain name because it is similar to a trade mark that he has registered, Is he right?", " A businessman has offered to make and sell my invention but he will only pay me a pittance by way of royalty. What should I do?"
I have been answering questions like that in IP clinics in London, the North of England and more recently North Wales since 2004. I have to make clear that I don't know all the answers. I am a barrister and not a patent attorney or solicitor, much less an accountant, banker, business angel, product designer or venture capitalist. However, I have worked with all those professionals in my time and know what they do. If I can't answer a question I can direct the enquirer to someone who can.
For the duration of this lockdown and if necessary for longer, I am prepared to offer up to 30 minutes of my time free of charge to anyone from Cornwall who requires advice on intellectual property or technology law. The consultation can be by Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts or phone I am regulated by the Bar Standards Board, fully insured and am bound by the rules set out in my regulator's Handbook so confidentiality and privacy will be respected.
Anybody who wants to take advantage of that offer should fill in the form below.
