McDaniels Law

McDaniels Law is a niche intellectual property practice with a head office at the Northern Design Centre in Gateshead and an office in Carlisle. Founded in 2005, the firm is led by Niall Head-Rapson. The firm assists organisations in the public and private sectors that have a significant interest in the identification, protection, exploitation and commercialisation of intellectual property. The entirety of the firm’s clients have either a significant interest in intellectual property or more pertinently intellectual property is a core asset and revenue generator of their business.

The firm is nationally renowned, having worked on a number of high profile reported cases, and acts for organisations worldwide, counting various household names as clients, particularly in the furniture and homewares sectors. Niall and fellow Director Kelly Hudson have had their contributions to the furniture industry recognised, having both been appointed Liverymen of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers, one of the historic London Guilds. The firm acts as a coordinator for raising the Furniture Makers’ profile in the North East of England.  The firm is also a long-serving affiliate law firm of ACID (Anti Copying in Design). It advises ACID members nationwide on all aspects of intellectual property and attends ACID accredited trade fairs, giving relevant advice and conducting on the spot mediations where necessary.

Types of work undertaken:  McDaniels Law offers an advisory, transactional, and contentious capability to organisations and individuals who have intellectual property as a key component of their business.

Disputes: Advising on all types of disputes in all major IP forums including the Business and Property Courts and the Court of Appeal, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, the UK Intellectual Property Office and the European Union Intellectual Property Office. The firm also assists with disputes in foreign jurisdictions through its network of agent firms.

Registrations: Advising and prosecuting all types of intellectual property filings including trade marks, designs and patents.

Portfolio management: Acting on a number of worldwide trade mark portfolios, coordinating brand strategy, filings, monitoring, oppositions, cancellation proceedings and enforcement.

Agreements: Drafting all types of commercial agreements, including; terms and conditions; distribution; supplier; heads of terms; confidentiality; assignments; licenses and manufacturer agreements.

Fund raising: Advising on all aspects of fundraising, acquisitions and disposals.

Employment: Specific expertise particularly in respect of employee ownership and misuse of confidential information and business secrets.