About us
We provide professional in-house legal services to the University in connection with research, Intellectual Property and commercial affairs. These pages are designed to tell you what we do and how our work may be relevant to your existing and future activities.
These pages contain some general information about Intellectual Property (“IP”), and its particular relevance to research, the University’s Intellectual Property Policy, and the processes involved in commercialisation activities (particularly licences and spin outs). We also provide some short briefing notes on topical issues related to research, IP and commercial affairs.
Intellectual Property law is the mechanism which captures the value of ideas, creativity and innovation and the University owns vast quantities of Intellectual Property assets.
Intellectual Property is generated whenever staff and/or students produce papers and teaching materials or carry out experiments, investigations and research. The University can also count amongst its IP assets the expertise of staff and our incipient technological developments and specialist research interests; all of which, in combination with our knowledge of bids and prospective research grants, industry practice and networks of collaborators, can be harnessed to facilitate further research funding.
The Intellectual Property related work which we undertake encompasses legal advice, negotiation and drafting in connection with Research Related Agreements and agreements relating to the Commercialisation of Intellectual Property by way of spin-outs and licensing. We also advise in relation to the application of the University’s Intellectual Property Policy and development of this and related policy and protocols.
The University's Intellectual Property Policy has been revised following consultation with the trade unions and Students' Union. The revised policy (which comprises Ordinance 22) was approved by Council, on the recommendation of Senate, on 3 March and takes effect immediately.
The revised policy is available here.
The Guidance is available here.