Design Rights are now cheaper to protect.

Under the old system, businesses with a legal case involving design rights and worth less than £500,000 could face litigation in either The Patents County Court (PCC) or the High Court which could potentially expose the litigants to unknown levels of financial risk.

However, the government has now announced a new law which gives litigants easier access to justice to protect their design rights.  The introduction of a damages cap of £500,000 for claims made in The Patents County Court means smaller businesses seeking damages up to that amount are less likely to have to resort to the High Court which could prove more costly.

These changes will help small businesses and encourage them to innovate.  It will also provide clarity over the legal processes, certainly over the risks and give small enterprises the confidence to stand on an equal footing with financially stronger companies.