HOW SAFE IS YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY?

In a global economy it is necessary to take a holistic approach to IP rights and it is worthwhile appointing legal advisors who have multi-jurisdictional experience from an international viewpoint together with grass roots local knowledge. Their job will be to keenly examine and evaluate the territories in which you trade to investigate the opportunities such as using volume registrations to maximise protection. They should also look at different territories in terms of access to the legal system, strength of IP rights, ease of registration and protection and pay particular attention to the commercial culture in which innovative companies can flourish. Take a look at the table below which is based on an innovative analysis of surveys to provide an assessment of the best and worst jurisdictions to obtain, exploit, enforce and attack particular types of IP infringement. Clearly this indicates caution in the BRIC countries and, surprisingly, puts the UK at the top of IP listings as a safe IP haven. 

Table produced by Taylor Wessing