Partner Article

“Protect your intellectual property before you sell overseas” novice exporters to hear

International law firm Shulmans LLP, has been chosen to host Leeds next export networking event in Leeds City Region’s We are International campaign In December.

A wide range of overseas trade issues, including how to protect product patents when targeting overseas markets and why selecting the right international lawyer is crucial to getting the best deal, will be discussed at the event at Shulmans, on December 11, which is expected to attract 30 novice exporters from throughout Leeds as well as members of the wider Leeds City Region export ambassador network.

The two-hour afternoon event, at which delegates will be able to make contacts and gain first-hand advice from some of the region’s top exporters, is open to manufacturing and e-commerce companies across the business spectrum.

Shulmans associate and head of intellectual property, Rob Lucas, who will discuss protecting intellectual property for overseas trade, says: “Businesses which trade only the UK but want to start exporting, need to know that having patents and intellectual property rights for the UK will not protect them overseas. Such measures are generally territorial within different jurisdictions.

“Having intellectual property and patents for an invention for the UK market will not protect you if you export and a competitor decides to copy it in France. An ill-prepared business could simply end up exporting its ideas, brand and products for competitors to copy.

“It is crucial to identify and act upon these legal issues as part of being a successful exporter or a lot of research and development work will go to waste.”

Shulmans founder and senior partner, Jeremy Shulman, a We are International ambassador, who will speak at the event, will discuss how selecting the right overseas lawyer that help UK exporters get the best commercial terms for overseas deals.

The event is being organised by international trade specialist, Chamber International, Bradford, as the latest in a series of networking events providing practical support for new exporters as part of a Local Response Fund Capacity Building Project, a Skills Support for the Workforce Contract, managed by Leeds City College.

The Response Project benefits from £11.8m from the European Social Fund made available through the Skills Funding Agency to finance training for working people and aims to help SMEs, with fewer than 250 staff, in the ten local authority areas within Leeds City Region invest in developing the skills of their workforce.

Chamber International has already run a series of networking events over the last 20 months – backed by the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership’s We are International Campaign – providing practical support for dozens of novice exporters and leading directly to overseas orders which aim to bring in an additional £1.6bn to the ten local authority areas and create thousands of jobs by 2018.

To book please contact Chamber International on 0845-034-7200.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mike Clarke Communications .