Do I need to have professional assistance to apply for a registered design?

Design protection is a complex and specialised area of the law in which it is important to take professional advice. Fellows of CIPA are qualified to act in all areas of intellectual property, including designs, and are entitled to act before OHIM as well as before the UK Designs Registry. OHIM maintains a list of authorised representatives.

What documentation is required when applying for a Community Registered Design?

• Drawings or photographs of the design (up to seven views)
• Optionally, the name of the designer(s) or a waiver of his/her right to be named
• A statement of what the design is (your representative can provide this). Optionally, a written description of up to 100 words.

Some points to remember

• try to retain good documentation of original designs and their development (including details of the designer and their employment status) so that copyright and/or design right can be established at a later date.
• where work is commissioned, ensure that the rights to the design are transferred in writing to the commissioner. It may be desirable to have agreements in place before design work begins.
• with all new designs, consider whether registered design protection is appropriate.
• obtain professional advice wherever possible - design protection is a complex area of law.

Where do I go for Help?

Select a firm of patent attorneys from the Institute's Directory of Patent Attorneys, or book an appointment at one of the clinics held around the country.

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Pages such as these cannot be exhaustive and can only provide a very simplified discussion of intellectual property, which abounds with exceptions and peculiarities. The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys, as a body, can take no responsibility for anything done or not done as a result of reading these pages or those referred to by hyperlinks from these pages. In all matters regarding intellectual property you are recommended to take professional advice.

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