15 January 2009

Accolade for IP Yorkshire in the Flood Report

IP Yorkshire was mentioned in the report "Straight There No Detours: Direct Access to Barristers" by Professor John Flood and Avis Whyte of Westminster University which was commissioned by the Bar Council. The Bar Council has not yet got round to posting the report to its website but anybody interested can download the report from the Social Science Research Network's site at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1321492.

At page 21, Flood and Whyte write:
"Most types of work appeared suitable for Public Access. One particular area mentioned to us was the ability of counsel to give “red light/green light” opinions on cases. This could be done far quicker and for less cost than by a solicitor. An example of the speed of reaction by barristers is given by Jane Lambert in her blog “IPYorkshire”. In a trademark matter the barrister was able to examine the papers and form an opinion within a few hours and refer the client to appropriate patent and trademark agents (she believed it necessary that the response the client needed to make should come under the letterhead of a professional rather than under his own hand)."
I think that must have been a reference to my post of 12 Sep "No Names, No Pack Drill but here is a Success Story that shows how the Panel works"   The client wrote quite a nice little commendation for us a few days later in "Trade Marks: A Very Satisfied Client"

This blog was also commended on the next page (as were our chambers) for making public access services known to the public:
"And some barristers have developed their own websites and blogs as a way of informing potential clients of their services. For example, IPYorkshire directs itself at the IP industry in the north-east, as does NIPC Law."
In the year that two of the biggest sets in Manchester, namely Peel Court and 8 King Street, folded it is nice to be able to report something positive from my profession.