Getting professional advice about IP matters
The information about IP rights in this website is given in good faith on behalf of the members of IPAN to provide useful background to help your general understanding and when consulting professional advisers about specific IP matters. The information does not constitute legal advice and must not relied on as such. Any views or opinions expressed, for example in the topic briefs, are provided for guidance only and are not binding on IPAN members nor necessarily shared by all IPAN members.
The UK Intellectual Property Office also provides a wide range of background information on IP matters including:
You are strongly advised to seek appropriate professional assistance whenever you need specific advice on IP matters and especially in commercial situations.
Qualified IP professionals can be obtained by consulting the following professional bodies:
You can also find UK based solicitors specialising in intellectual property through Find a Solicitor provided by the Law Society.
Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys
3rd Floor
95 Chancery Lane
London WC2A 1DT
Tel: +44 (0)20 7405 9450
Fax: +44 (0)20 7430 0471
Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys
5th Floor Outer Temple
222-225 Strand
London WC2R 1BA
Tel: +44 (0)20 7101 6090
Fax: +44 (0)20 7101 6099
Intellectual Property Lawyers’ Association (IPLA)
c/o Arty Rajendra
Osborne Clarke LLP
One London Wall
London EC2Y 5EB
Contact details for IPLA member firms, as well as for their representatives, can be found on their website.
European Patent Institute (EPI)
Bayerstrasse 83
80335 Munich
Germany
Tel +49 (0)89 242052 0
Fax +49 (0)89 242052 20
epi membership is mandatory for all European patent attorneys. The European Patent Office website includes an up-to-date database of professional representatives before the EPO.
Regulation of IP Professionals
Patent and trade mark attorneys registered to practice in the UK are regulated by the IP Regulation Board.
Solicitors registered to practice in the UK are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
All registered European Patent Attorneys are members of the European Patent Institute which is responsible for maintaining high standards of professional conduct.