IP (Intellectual Property) Audits

Intellectual Property Audits from experienced IP Attorneys.

Having an IP audit carried out enables a company to catalogue and decide how to best manage its intellectual property and associated procedures. They may help with the management of companies which generate IP and they can be useful to facilitate winning investment.

IP audits can be relatively short and focused or may be detailed analyses covering many topics. We frequently carry out IP Audits under the Scottish Enterprise funded IP Audit Plus scheme, which has a capped budget of £2,500 + VAT (£3,000 incl. VAT) and we can also carry out audits which are more basic or more thorough than this as required.

An IP Audit will typically include a review of a company’s current IP including potentially patentable innovations and patent applications; trade marks, branding and goodwill; design rights and design registrations; copyright, database right; domain names; trade secrets and confidential information; and contractual issues relating to IP. We usually include advice on the capture and protection of IP which will be generated in the future and, where appropriate, we advise on what should be done from an IP perspective to make a company investment ready.

Where required, IP audits may include IP searches, such as patentability or patent freedom to operate searches, or trade mark availability searches. Sometimes they include advice on other aspects of IP strategy or topics such as licensing, IP ownership, IP renewals, international filing strategy and so forth. The focus of our audits very much depends on client’s individual requirements and business context.

If you would like to talk to us about carrying out an IP audit of your business please get in touch.