Intellectual property

Intellectual property (‘IP’) is a key asset for all businesses: it underpins competitive advantage; it is a source of revenue when it can be licensed out or sold; and it often accounts for a large proportion of a company’s value. With businesses under pressure from globalisation and the increasingly central role of intellectual property, the demand for strong protection and dynamic exploitation policies has never been greater.

Getting the right advice and assistance can result in your business:

  • Maintaining its competitive advantage
  • Protecting its key assets in all territories
  • Getting the best commercial deal when commercialising its IP

We often work alongside specialists in PwC LLP to offer end-to-end intellectual property advice in complex areas such as restructuring, transfer pricing, business consulting, corporate finance, valuations and risk assurance.

Examples of our recent projects include:

  • We assisted a leading multinational technology provider in restructuring the ownership and management of its group IP following the acquisition of a new business and with making a claim under the new Patent Box regime.  We drafted an assignment of the relevant IP rights from the group's US subsidiary to its UK headquarters and drafted both non-exclusive and exclusive IP licences for use within the group. 
  • We recently advised a major Chinese real estate development company on the successful negotiation of an exclusive licence for the exploitation of a world famous TV brand and the related launch of themed leisure attractions throughout China. We assisted with the specific legal and commercial issues connected with brand licensing and negotiated the agreement to a particularly challenging timeline (due to the dictates of the Chinese market).
  • We advise one of the world's leading international energy companies on a substantial number of IP agreements, including R&D and collaboration agreements with leading universities, suppliers and industrial partners.  We also assist with drafting and negotiating joint industry projects for the development of innovative new technology, and on the IP aspects of supplier and service agreements across a wide range of different technologies (both upstream and downstream).  Our work involves collaborating closely with our client’s legal and commercial specialists in order to assist in maximising the value of its investment in the development and commercialisation of cutting-edge technology.
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