International intellectual property (IP) group Marks & Clerk has announced a strategic alliance with the product design and development consultancy Hyphen Design to offer product development services to UK and overseas based clients of the Group.
With IP proving to be a key issue for designers in the evermore connected world [see Tanya’s comment piece in this month’s magazine] is the legal arm going to prove an important service for design agencies to offer?
“In our experience, whether it be working with entrepreneurs that need a helping hand to make their idea a reality, or in-house design teams at large companies, it is extremely important that intellectual property considerations be taken into account throughout the new product development process,” said Cameron Treeby, managing director of Hyphen Design, putting on his pyjamas and getting ready to jump into bed with a bunch of lawyers.
Simon Mounteney, partner of Marks & Clerk Consulting, added: “An area where many clients struggle is in getting from the design concept through the prototype to economic mass production; and often the development process itself fails to identify or maximise the additional IP rights which could be obtained.
“This alliance enables us to provide a first class proven new product development design service to clients alongside their in-house design team or as a completely outsourced service, and for the first time one which is fully coordinated with IP protection, freedom to operate and exploitation advice.”
