By Sarah Coe Sarah Coe is a lawyer based in London. At the time of writing this article she worked for Baldwin Shelston Waters. Enter your friendly intellectual property specialist.
Protection is essential.
Such specialists are the people you can ask for advice as to the procedure and costs involved in obtaining the necessary protection required for your idea. A stitch in time' has never been more appropriate than when applied to the area of intellectual property. Inventions may be products or processes, but they must be new, and secret when the patent is applied for. Patents take time and effort to acquire, but used properly, they can be an extremely powerful tool in protecting the innovative edge of your business. Once again, you must apply before you go public.