Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

Intellectual property definition

What does Intellectual property mean? Intellectual property describes intangible legal rights in creative, technical and branding outputs used and enforced in commercial practice, often abbreviated to IP or IPR. In the UK and Ireland the term is descriptive rather than a single statutory definition; discrete rights arise under specific regimes, typically including copyright, patents, trade marks, registered and unregistered designs, database right, trade secrets and confidential information, and the common law tort of passing off. These rights are territorial, generally time‑limited (trade secrets/confidential information can subsist indefinitely if secrecy is maintained), and confer exclusive rights that can be licensed, assigned, charged as security and...

IP in UK Corporate Joint Ventures: contribution, assignment or licence; improvements and access rights; branding; personnel and group issues; competition and tax; exit, dissolution and insolvency

Published by a LexisNexis IP expert

Practice notes

Introduction

This Practice Note outlines several key IP matters to think about when establishing a joint venture (JV) by parties planning such an arrangement. It addresses the situation where two organisations (parent companies) create a JV as a separate legal body (eg a company or limited liability partnership) that they co-own that vehicle together. It does not cover the IP questions arising in contractual collaborations (where there is no separate entity) in any detail. IP considerations vary markedly for contractual collaborations by comparison.

Life cycle of a joint venture

It is especially crucial to assess IP concerns throughout all three stages of a JV’s existence from start to finish:

at its formation
during its lifetime, and
when it comes to an end

Parent companies should settle how to manage these points before starting the JV, to minimise the chance of Disputes later on between them.

Formation of the joint venture

Contributing IP to the joint venture

Parent companies will typically hold technology, Know-how, content or brands the JV must use to grow its business from the outset. They will need to agree precisely what each will provide, and whether the relevant IP ought to be assigned or licensed to the...

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Claire Smith

Bristows

Claire is a partner in Bristows’ market-leading Commercial IP practice. Clients seek Claire’s support on many different types of commercial arrangements involving their most valuable assets - their inventions, ideas, technologies, brands, designs, software and content. These include anything from high value research collaboration and licensing deals, through to the intellectual property aspects of corporate or joint venture transactions, the large majority of which are cross-border. She works with a wide variety of organisations - ranging from start‑ups, SMEs and academic institutions to global multinationals and household names - and across a range of industries, most notably the life sciences, technology, media and consumer product sectors.Before becoming a lawyer, Claire spent a number of years working in quality assurance and operations roles in Abbott Laboratories' medical device business. Since being at Bristows, Claire has spent time seconded to the in‑house legal team of a...

Matthew Warren

Bristows

Matthew is the Head of the Commercial IP Group at the law firm Bristows. He advises on transactions involving the development, exploitation and transfer of intellectual property rights. He has experience working in many sectors including the IT, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, telecommunications and digital media sectors. His scientific background is of particular assistance when advising organisations that are negotiating transactions involving new technologies. He has advised on a number of successful licensing programmes for the exploitation of new technologies on a world-wide basis....

Web page updated on 21/05/2026

Popular documents

Using the Judicial College Guidelines to assess general damages in personal injury claims

When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...

Tomlin orders in England and Wales: CPR guidance on drafting, confidentiality, approval, variation, enforcement, limitation, CCA issues, court-specific requirements, sample wording and precedents

This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...

Precedent: Deed of Surrender of Lease with Optional Premium, Settlement and Release, Landlord, Mortgagee and Guarantor Consents, Reimbursement and HM Land Registry Provisions (England and Wales)

Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...

Precedent Statutory Declaration: Standard Wording under the Statutory Declarations Act 1835

I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...