Solicitor Reviews
Original Intellectual Property Rights: Ownership of Concepts & Ideas
Software Ownership
"I needed an approach to claim intellectual property ownership of some software to resolve a dispute with my business partners. We had a long and complicated history. I knew I had an IP rights problem but didn’t know how to get what I wanted.
I found Leigh on the internet as a technology and software specialist.
It turned out the claim was better framed in another areas of law altogether. It wasn’t just a copyright infringement issue. He put together a plan to create a solid claim and ended up with a result pretty close to what I wanted."
Public Sector Contracts
Call-Off Contracts
We signed up to a public sector framework contract with one of the biggest employers in the UK. It was all very collaborative with the client.
We gave concessions soon after we signed the call-off contract. We didn’t know what was coming. Our contract counterpart did. That changed the dynamic of the relationship. We struggled to keep the project on track, because the client kept changing their mind about what they wanted. The contract supported the public sector organisation in their approach. We couldn’t see that when we signed the call-off contract.
We approached Hall Ellis for help because they were specialist software and IT solicitors.
The solicitors read the contract on a level that was beyond us. We quickly found out what our legal position was, knew what the boundaries to what we could do were and the steps we could take to recover our position as far as we could. They had the knowledge we needed and turned out to be reliable, prompt and thorough with realistic outcomes.
We now know about how contracts work when they are in motion – after they are signed. Small concessions can lead to horrific consequences down the line. We now know contract management skills are sometimes more important than our IT skillsets.
Insurance SaaS Solution
Reinsurers, Government, Farmers Software Tech product
"We need software developers to do work for us, and advice on setting up our technology-based business. Our tech should shake up the insurance market.
We needed all sorts of legal advice: software development contracts, dodging open source software technology bullets, assessing suitability of open source software for what we want to do, managing intellectual property, structuring investment, best practice when investors come knocking, granting options to interested investors and contracts for deals to be done with suppliers and clients. We can also see what isn’t going to work sooner rather than later.
We’re side-stepping problems that we might have otherwise stepped in later on, and all the hassle that brings. We’re moving forwards fast."
BSA Audits
Clean Sheet
We recently received a letter from a UK firm of solicitors claiming we were committing copyright infringement on a software program we used. They were acting on behalf of the BSA which is a software copyright infringement company based in the USA. Not knowing who the BSA were at the time, we did an online search for them, and looking at their website and researching the web the reviews recommended you only reply to them after taking legal advice due to the method’s they use.
Being a small engineering company who in 20 years of business never had cause to use a solicitor, let alone receive a solicitor’s letter, we decided to take legal advice. We did a search for specialist solicitors who work in these areas and had recent experience with the BSA , we found several...
They took our case and were able to guide us on what information we needed to collect and importantly how to present our responses to the firm of solicitors acting on behalf of the BSA. With this professional advice from Hall Ellis the result was we had no case to answer. I would definitely recommend Hall Ellis Solicitors they are a professional and a no-nonsense way to respond to companies like the BSA.
Energy Company: IP Dispute
Intellectual Property Dispute
Constant Power Services had an intellectual property dispute with some suppliers to the business. The IP advice was absolutley spot on. A subtle and controlled response to what needed to be done. Would definitley use Hall Ellis again for IP rights advice again.
Passing Off Claim: Hopeless
Proper Legal Advice
We had a passing off claim which appeared from nowhere. It scared the daylights of me. After we took some intellectual property advice it became clear that the solicitors for the claimant didn’t have a clue what they were talking about but that they were banking on us not having proper legal advice.
Leigh was highly available during the stressful periods, told us what things meant in the dispute and how it was going to turn out all in simple language we could understand. And it did. Impressive professionalism. Very happy with the work he did and the way it turned out.
Intellectual Property Rights in 60' Patrol Boat
Clear IP advice in Plain Language
My business was looking to get hold of some intellectual property rights in a mould for a 60’ cruiser to manufacture for the military deployments. We had to check out the IP rights to make sure that we wouldn’t be exposing our customers to IP rights infringement claims. We also needed to acquire ballistics software for control weapons on boats we manufacture.
We’re getting clear IP advice in plain language. It doesn’t leave much for doubt in what we’re being advised. For me, it’s high recommended for intellectual property advice, without the pretence and doesn’t treat us like a billing target.
Business Purchase & IP Rights: Outplayed
Buying Digital Assets and Intellectual Property Rights
I’ve been doing business all my life in Italy and have seen most things that can happen happen in Italy. We were put onto liegh to get help with a business purchase. He told us what to expect.
We had the legal docs reviewed, knew how it was going to work before it happened, and knew what the risks were. We bought the business at a good price, manevoured ourselves to get the intellectual property rights and the digital assets which we needed to move our project forward.
We were set up to respond to the English business people and the tricks that happen in the English market. It saved us a whole lot of hassle, uncertainty and confusion.
Get legal advice that means something to your business
What's the #1 thing your business is struggling with?