IT / IntellectuaI Property

Our IT and IP service offering is led by Sherree Westell. Sherree has extensive experience of advising all types of clients (including global household name brands, high growth potential start ups, public and private sector organisations, whether doing business exclusively online or more traditionally) on such issues. Sherree is a regular speaker at industry events and legal training seminars –

http://www.clt.co.uk/course/overview-of-digital-and-social-media-law/

An overview of the types of work which we routinely handle is listed below:

    • advice on ownership and how best to protect and exploit your organisation’s intellectual property assets including
      • Software and copyright works;
      • Logos, brands and domain names;
      • Know how and confidentiality;
  • advice on all aspects of business social media use and exploitation including social media policies
  •  Setting up your web site and doing business on line including:
    • Web site development agreements and hosting arrangements;
    • User terms and conditions;
    • Buying and selling on line;
    • Privacy policies;
    • Compliance issues such as the Data Protection Act 1998, the Distance Selling Regulations and the E-Commerce Regulations;
    • User generated content issues;
    • Advertising and marketing online including multi-platform marketing campaigns;
    • Data collection and re-use;
  • Software and data licences as well as maintenance and support agreements;
  • Software development agreements;
  • Managed services contracts;
  • Outsourcing and offshoring agreements;
  • System procurement, supply and implementation;
  • Data transfer and security;
  • Hardware procurement and supply.

In common with the overall approach of the firm, our Commercial and IP/IT team are particularly keen to tailor their services to the requirements and budgets of each individual client.  We believe our service offering is distinct from that offered by other law firms due to our approach to tailoring what we do and what we offer. In particular

 

  • We will listen to your requirements and the objectives you are trying to achieve – whether in relation to a particular commercial transaction or in relation to the legal service you are providing to your business;
  • We will discuss your budget for meeting your requirements and the achievement of these objectives;
  • We will work with you to devise a solution to meet your requirement and achieve your objectives within your budget.

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
STEVE JOBS

Some examples of the solutions we may devise with you include:

  • For businesses which do not have an in house legal resource, we can provide a “virtual” in house lawyer service ensuring that legal risks are identified and addressed at an early stage and the level of value offered by an in-house resource can be provided, often at a fixed amount of fees per month;
  • For in house lawyers and legal departments, we will work with you and your colleagues to ensure that your business has the level and continuity of support which it may require –  for some of our clients this may involve on-site support  and/or  remotely turning around  comments or amendments on contracts and providing rapid and effective advice in order to supplement the in-house team or “back fill” a role during engagement on other activities closely integrating with our clients’ own legal resource;

A transaction, project or contract may require a period of intensive legal support including drafting, negotiation and technical legal advice.  We are used to managing our clients’ expectations with regard to timing and costs involved in such transactions and aim to agree with our clients the most appropriate fee structure (daily rates, fixed price or some other mechanism) in order to bring the transaction, project  or contract to successful completion in line with those expectations.