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...

Practical guidance on IPEC case management: transfer, disclosure, evidence, cross-examination, costs caps, small claims track, quantum and appeals (England and Wales)

Published by a LexisNexis IP expert

Practice notes

Introduction to the intellectual property enterprise Court

The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) sits as a sub-list within the general Intellectual Property List (Chancery Division). It is designed to open up access to justice in IP disputes for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that might otherwise struggle to bring or defend a claim. IPEC also serves as a venue for lower-value IP cases to be resolved at proportionate cost, ensuring litigation remains manageable for parties with modest resources.

The Intellectual Property List comprises two sub-lists: the Patents Court and the IPEC. It forms part of the Business and Property Courts of the High Court, which were established on 2 October 2017. For further details about the Business and Property Courts, see Practice Note: Business and Property Courts, and for commentary on their introduction in IP matters, see News Analysis: Framework of Business and Property Courts sets ‘solid groundwork for success’.

A central feature of the IPEC is robust judicial case management. This is applied using a cost–benefit methodology and encourages parties, at an early stage, to pinpoint the issues and the steps they intend to pursue during the proceedings...

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Web page updated on 28/05/2026

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