Intellectual Property (IP) and software have a unique relationship. The legal instruments which are used to protect IP were largely decided upon before the advent of software and as such, software did not naturally fit into the established IP ecosystem. Lately, IP policy makers have been working hard to adopt software to give software developers equal footing when it comes to protecting their IP.

In this webinar we will discuss the current state of protecting software via patents, copyright, registered design rights, and trade secrets. By the end of the webinar you will know which IP rights your software can benefit from, how to maximise your benefit, and how to commercialise your IP rights in the way that suits you (e.g. start a spin-out, make software open source (with restrictions), monetise your IP).

Presenters

Theo Worsley and Talia Ford are Senior Associates at Withers & Rogers law firm, based in Bristol. Theo has a background in electrical and electronic engineering, while Talia has a background in physics. Together, they work with inventors and technology start-ups to identify, protect and make the most of their intellectual property.

Lunch with Impact Workshops

This workshop is part of a series supported by the University’s ESRC and EPSRC Impact Acceleration Accounts (IAAs) and the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF), to support researchers in identifying, generating, evidencing and achieving impact from their research. Sessions are designed to enable attendees to apply the information, knowledge and tools to their own research.