Design Protection: A Practical Guide to the Law on Plagiarism for Manufacturers and Designers

The importance of design in modern industry and commerce is becoming ever more clearly recognised world wide. With that realization comes recognition of the damage done by copying. To combat plagiarism, it is essential that designers, managers and company directors understand the range of legal protection available. Patents, trade marks, design registration, copyright and design right are the chief means by which intellectual property rights may be protected. Added to that is the common law right of "passing off". All these methods are covered in this new edition of the standard work on this subject. The book offers guidance on design protection, from patenting inventions to protecting styles and brands. It covers the content of the Trade Marks Act 1994. Michael Edwardes-Evans and Geoffrey Adams acted as consultants for this reworked edition. It contains checklists for designers and managers, which look at what to do if a design is copied, and a chart which shows design protection legislation in EU countries.