Partner Article

Legal duo admitted to Worshipful Company

Two legal experts specialising in Intellectual Property law (IP) have been admitted as Freemen of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers, one of the 110 livery companies based in the City of London.

Niall Head-Rapson, who heads up the Jesmond-based ‘City-styled but without City prices’ niche law firm, McDaniel & Co, together with senior solicitor, Kelly Hudson, provide a wide range of IP support to a growing number of furniture industry businesses.

There are approximately 150,000 people working in furnishing manufacture today and many more in the furnishing retail sector, so it plays a key role in the British economy and is worth approximately £12bn per annum to UK plc.

The pair were nominated to become members of the livery company through McDaniel & Co’s role as a panel member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design), a national membership trade organisation created in 1996 to uphold the value of original design. The law firm was originally one of only two to become ACID-accredited and over the years has provided advice in the areas of fashion, greetings, home wares, interiors and jewellery as well as furniture.

Speaking about their appointments, Head-Rapson said: “This is a great honour and privilege for us. The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers is a closed livery company which means you can only be admitted if you are actually working in or providing services to the furniture industry. If you aren’t providing significant support as we do, you cannot be admitted, so we are joining a select band.

“Almost forty per cent of our work is furniture related so this appointment not only strengthens our ties within the industry but will create the opportunity for us to promote the benefit of sound IP practice.

“We also hope to hold a number of events to promote the work of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers in the North East region where there are many people employed in the manufacture, import, sale and design of furniture.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Rosie Bellerby .