19th April 2018 | IN INDUSTRY NEWS & BUSINESS | BY SBID ShareTweetPinterestLinkedInSBID are passionate about supporting designers and the creative industries, particularly when it comes to protecting their rights. In our regular update on Intellectual Property (IP) issues affecting designers in Volume 6 Issue 4 of eSociety, we talked about our collaboration with TM-Eye at the launch of SBID’s IP awareness campaign at the House of Commons. The launch acknowledged the SBID IP Register as a first-of-its-kind management tool to help designers ensure their work is legally protected, which in the case of a breach, gives IP crime experts, TM-Eye, the basis to quickly initiate an investigation. In light of this recent development with SBID forging the pathway for designers to seek IP protection, SBID spoke to a legal expert from Mishcon De Reya LLP. Suzi Sendama, Associate at Mischon, who challenges the myths surrounding IP rights to ensure you don’t find yourself inadvertently on the wrong side of the law! Common Misconceptions At a recent SBID 20:20 Event at The Dorchester, Suzi spoke about a number of common misconceptions relating to intellectual property rights. While many designers have a good idea of what intellectual property is – indeed, is is a company’s most valuable asset and exploiting it can be the key to maximising the profits of a business – there are so many commonly believed IP myths that could land you on the wrong side of an expensive claim for IP infringement. Many of these misconceptions surround what a designer can and cannot do when inspired by the work of others. From product design and written content, to the legalities of using trademarks. It is said that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. But not all designers would consider it to be a compliment to see their design copied by a competitor. To avoid inadvertently infringing an earlier design, make sure you are clued up on what you can and cannot do if you are designing a product which is similar to one which is already on the market. Find out what Suzi suggests are the most common misconceptions, what the legal implications of these misconceptions would be, and how you can best protect your work by reading the full feature. Read this feature → For further information on Intellectual Property Protection and what we are doing to combat the issue, visit our website. Suzi Sendama at Mishcon De Reya LLP [email protected], +44 (0) 203 321 6794. Have you missed Suzi’s most recent article on the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules that will be enforced and how they could affect your business? Click here to see more. This feature originally appeared in the Business section within Volume 6 Issue 4 of the official SBID interior design magazine, eSociety. Click here to read the full issue.