Alan Harper

Alan leads the intellectual property team at Walker Morris. He is a specialist intellectual property solicitor advising across the full spectrum of intellectual property matters.

Alan is a highly-experienced litigator and handles a lot of contentious work. He acts to enforce the intellectual property rights of various businesses in the Courts. Alan advises across the full ambit of intellectual property rights including patents, trade marks, copyright and designs. Alan also defends clients in relation to critical infringement claims which threaten their business. Due to his extensive experience in the sector, Alan is regularly instructed by leading brand owners to provide guidance on intellectual property matters. This work has included provides detailed assessments of infringement risks to major brands and businesses on new products which gives clients a vital assessment of the risk.

With regard to non-contentious matters, Alan regularly advises on intellectual property licensing including acting on behalf of a variety of clients for the licensing of high-profile brands. He also advises clients in relation to research and development agreements and the generation and capture of intellectual property. Alan also advises clients in relation to IP strategy and building a portfolio of rights. Alan also advises clients on the acquisition of intellectual property rights and he regularly "troubleshoots" intellectual property issues arising from M&A transactions.

Practice Area

Panel

  • Contributing Author

Qualified Year

  • 2011

Education

  • Bachelor or Law (LLB) - University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and Practice - University of Oxford

2 Contributions by Alan Harper

UK business IP: identification, protection, management, enforcement and commercialisation of trade marks, designs, copyright, databases and patents, with post‑Brexit, due diligence and security considerations
PRACTICE NOTES
UK business IP: identification, protection, management, enforcement and commercialisation of trade marks, designs, copyright, databases and patents, with post‑Brexit, due diligence and security considerations
This Practice Note explains the types of intellectual property (IP) rights which a business might own, including trade marks, designs, copyright, databases, and patented or patentable technology. This introductory guide supports businesses as they review IP portfolios, run audits, or decide which protections to secure for their assets. IP rights are valuable assets that are critical to many businesses’ success, yet often go unrecognised. Many do not realise the breadth of rights they hold or the advantages they offer. Ensuring this IP is captured and utilised is essential. Below are the principal IP rights with details of assets a business may own. Registered trade marks: registered trade marks and pending trade mark applications. Unregistered trade marks: unregistered business and trading names; product or service names in use; plus product shapes, packaging and slogans. Design rights (registered or unregistered): covers registered designs and applications, as well as unregistered logos, packaging, exterior and interior product design, surface decoration, and circuit board and chip layouts. Copyright: software, manuals, product information leaflets and know-how...
IP
UK IP protection, management and enforcement for emerging technologies: collaboration, licensing, freedom to operate, confidentiality, patents, trade marks, designs, AI, metaverse and dispute resolution
PRACTICE NOTES
UK IP protection, management and enforcement for emerging technologies: collaboration, licensing, freedom to operate, confidentiality, patents, trade marks, designs, AI, metaverse and dispute resolution
Practice Note This Practice Note examines the intellectual property issues tied to creating new and emerging technology, offers practical guidance for parties collaborating, and outlines key points for safeguarding and enforcing their IP. IP in new technology is a valuable business asset and, as with any asset a company owns, it should be secured. A range of IP rights exist in the UK, including, but not limited to: trade marks design rights copyright patents Ultimately, the appropriate IP and level of protection depend on the technology’s characteristics. For further detail, see Practice Note: What IP assets a business may own and how best to protect them. The World Intellectual Property Organisation has also produced a diagnostics tool to help businesses identify their IP assets and decide how to protect, manage and leverage them. New technology is no different, as it constitutes an asset that gives rise to IP rights. Moreover, such innovations frequently result from collaboration between two or more businesses. It is strongly advised that organisations address, at an early stage of their commercial relationships, who will own any resulting IP and how best to protect such valuable IP rights...
IP
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