Merlin Wright Associates (IP) encompasses trademarks, copyrights and patents, protecting inventions and discoveries. IP lawyers work with clients and businesses to help them obtain and enforce their IP rights, including through litigation when necessary.
The Not-So-Distant Past
In the not-so-distant past, it was easy for businesses to quarantine sensitive information. Confidential documents such as formulae, diagrams and customer lists were kept under lock and key on company premises or in storage. Nowadays, employees are able to transfer work documents to personal devices and home computers with ease. In addition, it’s not uncommon for them to upload these data to cloud-based file-sharing services. As a result, it’s easier than ever for new hires to bring confidential and proprietary information with them from their previous employers.
This is a problem not only from a liability perspective but also a corporate citizenship one, as it can create an unfair competitive advantage for your business. It’s important to communicate this risk to your recruits and make it clear that you don’t want them to fish for your competitors’ IP, whether that’s during interviews or when they join the firm.
Another way to address this issue is to use the trend towards internal movement to your advantage. By allowing your own employees to move internally, you can scout out talent, provide new challenge and reaffirm to staff that the organisation is invested in their career development. This is especially important in a sector like IP where professionals are largely specialised and highly skilled.
