Kempner & Partners

• Home
• The Team
  • Partner: Richard Kempner
  • Partner: Jason Dainty
  • Partner: Stuart Jackson
  • Other members of the team
• Services
  • Identification
  • Protection
  • Exploitation
  • Enforcement
  • Defence
• Case Studies
• Publications
• Testimonials
• News
• Kempner & Who?
• Contact

Kempner & Partners was one of three specialist IP firms to attend the private meeting, and left the Lord Mayor in no doubt that his international visits programme should advertise Leeds’ fast-developing niche for Intellectual Property services firms.

The full article follows.

Kempner & Partners discuss strength of Intellectual Property expertise with City Lord Mayor
20 January 11

Richard Kempner, Senior Partner of Kempner & Partners was one of 3 specialist Intellectual Property Services firms, attending a private meeting with the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Michael Bear on 19 January 2011 as part of an intensive 48 hour visit to Leeds. Pointing out that there is genuine niche property expertise in Leeds, the Lord Mayor was left in no doubt that as part of his substantial international visits programme, foreign businesses can get the very best Intellectual Property advice from firms based in Leeds.

Richard commented:
“As major City of London law firms focus more and more on Corporate Finance and Banking Law, Leeds is fast developing niche Intellectual Property practices that are filling the gap left by these firms”.

“With lower overheads, lower rent, no need for flashy offices and substantial Marketing, Finance and HR infrastructure resource, these Leeds based niche firms are also able to offer more cost efficient services than their London counterparts” he added.

With a real focus within Kempner & Partners on clothing retailers, Richard explained some of the issues clothing retailers faced from an IP perspective when having clothes manufactured outside of the European Union a figure which equates to 75% of all new clothing sold in the UK.

In discussion again Richard commented:
“These issues are very important and include blatant copy and counterfeiting through to illegal parallel importing, selling ‘excess’ stock and even stealing UK retailers’ trademarks. The latter is the latest “trick” and involves foreign companies attempting to register UK retailers’ trademarks within their local territory where the items are being made. This is then used as a means of extorting money from the legitimate UK retailer. These foreign companies need to be educated as to what is permissible if they wish to do good business in the UK.”

The Lord Mayor’s extensive overseas programme which sees him promoting UK financial and professional expertise will see delegations visiting China, Vietnam and Turkey. Following the meeting, the Lord Mayor was left in no doubt that the resource to help foreign companies do better business in the UK, was very strong in Leeds.

Editors Notes;
1) Kempner and Partners is a niche Intellectual Law firm based in Leeds.
2) It won IP Law firm of the year 2010/2011 (Intellectual Property magazine) beating amongst others the likes of Baker & McKenzie and Bird & Bird
3) Its clients include Asda, Centrica (including British Gas), BASF, Jet2.com, Republic, JD Sports and Farrow and Ball