6 Who can help?

Ultimately, getting good advice is always key. The Intellectual Property Office [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] in the UK provides a wide range of information, which is publicly available. Yet even they suggest that you should get professional advice and guidance. Naturally this is in order to get the best possible advice, but also because your claim to a patent might be compromised if you share details of your invention publicly before lodging your claim.

So where can you get advice?

Before doing anything you should consult a qualified solicitor or Intellectual Property Attorney. IP Attorneys typically have both legal and technical training and are able to guide you through the complexities of registering your intellectual property. You can visit the website for the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys for more information and to find contact details of a qualified attorney in your area.

You should also consider attending an IP Library for further information. IP Libraries are situated at locations around the UK and provide a range of services, including one-to-one consultations, IP clinics, search facilities, workshops, seminars and referrals. You can find more information on the UK Government website UK PatLib contact information.

Beyond the regional IP Libraries, the British Library Business and IP Centre based in London provides a range of support, such as workshops, events and consultations.

Many local enterprise partnerships and economic development agencies also run sessions on intellectual property, which are free and provided by local firms.