Intellectual property law

A strong name, a recognisable design, smart software or a new concept can hold significant value for your business. You want to be able to use, protect and, where necessary, defend that value. Intellectual property law helps to clearly establish what belongs to you and who may use what.

Intellectual property rights become important as soon as your business develops something unique, recognisable or commercially valuable. These rights allow you to determine who may use your creations, in what way and under which conditions. This prevents uncertainty and helps you keep control of what has been built within your business.

In practice, intellectual property law becomes relevant at different moments. For example, when registering a trade mark or trade name, developing a new product or concept, or entering into a collaboration in which knowledge, designs or software are shared. It is also sensible to assess whether existing rights are properly arranged and still fit the business when there is growth, an acquisition or expansion.

Many questions only arise once there is a dispute about the use of a trade mark, design, text, product or idea. For example, when another party uses something that strongly resembles what you have developed, or when it is unclear who owns the rights. That is when it becomes clear how important it is for rights to be properly recorded, monitored and, where necessary, enforced.

Intellectual property law also plays an important role in contracts. Agreements on use, transfer, licences and exploitation determine who may use a right and what conditions apply. Especially in collaborations, development projects and commercial arrangements, it is important to make this clear in advance.

Intellectual property law consists of various types of rights, including copyright, trade mark law, design law and patent law. Each right protects a different form of creation, innovation or distinctiveness and has its own conditions for protection and use.

LVH Advocaten guides entrepreneurs through matters relating to intellectual property. We advise on recording and protecting rights, assess use by others, draft agreements and licences and act in cases of infringement or threatened disputes. In doing so, we look not only at the legal position, but also at the commercial value for your business.

By gaining timely insight into what is protected within your business and how that protection is arranged, it becomes easier to preserve, use and, where necessary, defend value.

Would you like to better protect or make better use of your trade mark, design, software or other creation? Our specialists would be happy to explore the options with you.