Intellectual Property Articles

Expert articles and practical legal guides on intellectual property for uk businesses.

Agency Contracts In The UK: Key Terms To Include And Risks To Avoid

Agency Contracts In The UK: Key Terms To Include And Risks To Avoid

If you’re growing a small business, there’s a good chance you’ll eventually rely on someone else to help you win work. Maybe it’s a sales agent introducing you to customers, a representative...

2 April 2026
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Who Owns the Rights to Peter Pan? Copyright and Trademarks Explained

Who Owns the Rights to Peter Pan? Copyright and Trademarks Explained

If you’re building a product, campaign, event, or creative project around a well-known story, it’s normal to assume the “classic” ones are free to use. Peter Pan is one of those stories...

2 April 2026
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How To Renew A Trademark In The UK And Stay Protected

How To Renew A Trademark In The UK And Stay Protected

You’ve put real time (and money) into building a brand people recognise - your name, logo, tagline, or even a product line name. Registering a trade mark is one of the best...

2 April 2026
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Can You Use Internet Images Without Permission? UK Copyright Rules

Can You Use Internet Images Without Permission? UK Copyright Rules

If you run a small business, chances are you post on social media, update your website, send newsletters, or create ads. And at some point you’ve probably wondered whether you can use...

2 April 2026
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Joint Venture Agreement: Key Clauses And How To Draft One In the UK

Joint Venture Agreement: Key Clauses And How To Draft One In the UK

If you’ve found another business with the skills, contacts, or resources you need, a joint venture can be a smart way to grow faster without taking on everything alone. But joint ventures...

2 April 2026
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M&A Due Diligence Checklist For Buyers And Sellers

M&A Due Diligence Checklist For Buyers And Sellers

If you’re buying a business (or selling one), it’s easy to get swept up in the headline figures: price, timing, and what the “deal” will look like after completion. But the real...

2 April 2026
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Need a Trade Mark? 5 Things You Need to Know (2026 Updated)

Need a Trade Mark? 5 Things You Need to Know (2026 Updated)

If you're building a brand in 2026, chances are you're already investing time (and money) into your name, logo, packaging, website, and marketing. But there's a common trap for growing UK businesses:...

1 April 2026
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What Is a Registration Mark? Registered Trademarks and Brand Protection in the UK

What Is a Registration Mark? Registered Trademarks and Brand Protection in the UK

If you’ve ever noticed a little ® symbol next to a brand name or logo, you’ve seen a registration mark in action. For small business owners, it’s easy to assume it’s just...

1 April 2026
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Can You Trademark A Colour In The UK?

Can You Trademark A Colour In The UK?

If you’re building a brand, colour can feel like your secret weapon. Maybe it’s the colour you use on your packaging, your website buttons, your storefront signage, or the background behind your...

1 April 2026
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Modelling Contracts: Key Terms And Clauses Businesses Should Know

Modelling Contracts: Key Terms And Clauses Businesses Should Know

If your business works with models (for fashion, product shoots, e-commerce, events, fitness campaigns, brand content or influencer-style campaigns), having a proper modelling contract in place is one of the simplest ways...

1 April 2026
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Directors’ Agreement: When You Need One And Key Terms To Include

Directors’ Agreement: When You Need One And Key Terms To Include

If you’re running a limited company, your directors are the people making the big calls - on strategy, spending, hiring, growth and risk. But here’s the thing: many small businesses appoint directors...

1 April 2026
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What Is A Trade Secret? (2026 Updated)

What Is A Trade Secret? (2026 Updated)

If you run a business, you probably have at least one "thing" that gives you an edge - a recipe, a process, a client list, a pricing model, or even just the way you pitch and deliver your service....

1 April 2026
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What Is A Collaboration Agreement? (2026 Updated)

What Is A Collaboration Agreement? (2026 Updated)

Collaborations can be exciting. You've got a shared vision, complementary skills, and (hopefully) a plan to build something bigger than what either of you could do alone. But when a collaboration starts...

31 March 2026
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What UK SMEs Must Include In Their Contracts (And When To Get Legal Help)

What UK SMEs Must Include In Their Contracts (And When To Get Legal Help)

If you run a small business, you’re probably making agreements every week - with customers, suppliers, contractors, partners, venues, platforms, and more. The tricky part is that many of those “agreements” are...

31 March 2026
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How To Trademark Your Company Name In the UK

How To Trademark Your Company Name In the UK

You’ve picked a company name, bought the domain, set up your socials, and started building real momentum. Then someone tells you to “trademark it” - and suddenly you’re wondering whether you’ve missed...

30 March 2026
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How To Draft A Contract In The UK: Clear, Enforceable Agreements

How To Draft A Contract In The UK: Clear, Enforceable Agreements

If you run a small business, contracts probably show up everywhere - quoting a customer, onboarding a supplier, hiring a freelancer, or partnering with another business. And yet, “we’ll just put something...

30 March 2026
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How Much Does a Worldwide Patent Cost? International Filing Fees & Options

How Much Does a Worldwide Patent Cost? International Filing Fees & Options

If you’ve built something genuinely new - a product, a process, a piece of hardware, or a technical improvement - you’ll probably hit the same question most growing businesses do: How much...

30 March 2026
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How To Trademark A Logo And Business Name In the UK

How To Trademark A Logo And Business Name In the UK

Your name and logo are often the first things customers remember about your business. They’re also the easiest things for competitors (or copycats) to imitate if you don’t protect them properly. If...

28 March 2026
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How To Buy An Existing Business In the UK: Legal Checklist

How To Buy An Existing Business In the UK: Legal Checklist

Buying an existing business can be one of the fastest ways to grow - you’re not starting from zero, you’re stepping into an operation with customers, suppliers, systems, and (hopefully) revenue already...

28 March 2026
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How To Sell Your Company In the UK: Legal Checklist

How To Sell Your Company In the UK: Legal Checklist

Selling a business can be one of the biggest (and most emotional) decisions you’ll make as a founder. Maybe you’ve built something valuable and you’re ready to exit, or perhaps a buyer...

27 March 2026
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Trade Marking In The UK: How To Register And Protect Your Brand

Trade Marking In The UK: How To Register And Protect Your Brand

If you’re building a brand, you’re probably spending real time (and money) on your name, logo, packaging, website and marketing. Registering a trade mark is one of the most practical legal steps...

26 March 2026
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How To Register A Design In The UK

How To Register A Design In The UK

If you’ve spent time (and money) developing how a product looks, you’ll want to protect it before it starts gaining traction. Whether you’re launching a physical product, packaging, a new piece of...

26 March 2026
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Licensing vs Franchising: Key Differences For UK Businesses

Licensing vs Franchising: Key Differences For UK Businesses

If you’ve built something that works - a product, a brand, a process, or a whole business model - it’s completely normal to start thinking: “How do I grow this without doing...

25 March 2026
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Software Licence Agreements: What Businesses Need to Know in the UK

Software Licence Agreements: What Businesses Need to Know in the UK

If your business uses, sells, builds, or integrates software, you’re almost certainly dealing with a software licence - even if you’ve never called it that. Maybe you’re a startup offering a paid...

25 March 2026
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