patents & designs services
patent & design services
In our patent and design department, we work in over 170 jurisdictions and we have experts in the department with 40 years experience. Our team work with a range of clients from individual applicants to multi-national companies.
With support from in-depth and current legal information, as well as years of experience gleaned by our team, we can provide reliable guidance on the practices and procedures followed in every jurisdiction in which we operate. We would be pleased to advise you on which documents are required and the costs and timescales involved in obtaining registration.
patent & design registration
Registering a patent or design protects it from being used or copied by others without the owner’s consent. Registration is crucial to ensure that those who create new products or processes are appropriately rewarded and protected.
Depending on the jurisdiction in which you wish to register the intellectual property rights, this will determine the complexity and registration requirements involved. In some jurisdictions, you can register your rights in multiple countries with a single regional application; in others, you must file directly with the local Patent Office in each country.
Thanks to our many years of experience dealing with local Registries and agencies worldwide, we can guide you through your options and ensure that you are awarded the best protection based on your invention and the markets in which you want to operate.
patent & design renewals
In most jurisdictions, the renewal of a patent or design is a necessary and important step, ensuring that protection is upheld after the initial registration has been completed.
In order to renew your rights, an annual fee (annuity) or a periodic maintenance fee may be payable. There can also be instances of a grace period for the late payment of a fee, depending on the country. If the relevant fees are not duly paid, the patent or design will lapse and fall into the public domain.
Our database will diarise these due dates and send you timely reminders to avoid the risk of losing rights due to non-payment of these fees.
patent & design searches
Before applying for a patent or design registration, it may be advisable to conduct a freedom-to-operate search in order to ensure the invention is unknown and/or is not the subject of patent protection.
Our team can coordinate searches on your behalf, by contacting the local Registry or our professional contacts in your jurisdiction of choice. Thanks to our worldwide connections, we can conduct these searches across a wide geographical area to ably support your filing strategy.
patent & design recordals
There may be instances where you need to update the patent or design register to reflect changes in the owner’s name or address, or to record a company merger or acquisition. In this case, the process can be significant in scale because of the volume of patents or designs involved. Let us take control of the paperwork to ensure your rights are transferred smoothly and reliably with minimal fuss.
patent & design cautionary notices
Where there is no legal framework governing IP in a jurisdiction, publishing a cautionary notice in a local newspaper or journal may offer an alternative to registration. It alerts third parties to the existence of intellectual property rights.
In cases where litigation is required, publishing such notices is useful. Our team can advise you which jurisdictions require this approach.
While a cautionary notice is not as effective as a complete registration, it may be advisable to republish the notice periodically to remind the general public of IP rights and minimise the risk of potential acts of infringement.
worldwide filing by region
Lysaght’s team enjoys strong connections with various IP agencies located worldwide. Our experienced team offers the right advice to help you register your new patent or design or exert your IP rights wherever you trade.
To learn more about the unique legal framework adopted by each country, visit our Countries page and request a country report.
We offer a free 30 minute consultation to new clients wishing to use our experience to better understand what rights they need to protect their invention or design.
For our existing clients, where you have a large scale project you wish to discuss, we can help you formulate a plan on the most efficient and cost effective options.