Security & Cachet: IP Law Firms Find A Home at Fetcham Park

Intellectual property is the backbone of innovation. Everything starts with an idea and IP law ensures inventors and creators of artistic works, designs and software, are not only recognised for their ingenuity, but protected from copycats by patents, trademarks and copyrights.

An IP attorney plays a critical role in the protection of intellectual property. Handling and preparing sensitive, confidential data and documents, liaising with government agencies, and painstaking analyses of often highly technical material, requires a secure, discreet, and focused professional environment.

IP Lawyers Nick Kounoupias and Iain Russell recently found a suitable base for their individual firms at Fetcham Park; providing the level of security required to work effectively and the cachet of a stunning, historical building which appeals to their clients in the creative industries.

Nick Kounoupias is one of the best-known names in the international IP world with over 37 years’ experience both in private practice and in house. Although Nick is a solicitor, Kounoupias IP is a management consultancy that was set up to help businesses understand, manage and protect their intellectual property. While it advises clients across the IP sectors, it tends to specialise in advising clients in the creative sectors. As one of the UK’s leading experts in anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting, Nick also possesses extensive experience of managing and conducting fraud and IP investigations. He is considered to have pioneered the use of private prosecutions of copyright infringers for the music industry.

“I work a lot with government agencies and law enforcement which involves handling evidence and sensitive content. The building is incredibly secure, both internally and externally, and the unnamed, unnumbered offices add to the feeling of privacy. The team has a professional, yet informal, approach and a real sense of pride in the building that comes across strongly. They go the extra mile which really appeals to clients when they visit and are noticed by them.”

Nick is also the Chief Legal Counsel and IP Director for Anti Copying in Design (ACID), the UK’s leading design and intellectual property campaigning organisation, and a forward-thinking not-for-profit trade association for designers and manufacturers.

One of ACID’s objectives is to provide cost effective tips, advice and guidelines to help members protect their intellectual property to achieve growth through a proactive IP strategy. To retain the integrity of their membership, all potential members must be designers or have a design capability and the majority of their products must be designed either in-house or by commissioned designers.

In 2014, alongside ACID’s CEO Dids Macdonald, OBE, Nick led the successful campaign on behalf of UK designers to recognise the intentional copying of registered designs as a criminal offence.

Fetcham Park’s rich history and breath-taking decorative features have, says Nick, given his business an identity and flagship office that chimes with the aspirations and skills of his design clients and colleagues at ACID.

“ACID’s members are exceptionally talented creatives and include many leading household names in design. The desirable setting of Fetcham Park, its history and design, artwork and decorative features, resonate with members and my other clients within the creative industries; they love visiting me here. The House compliments their discerning taste which is why we plan on hosting ACID’s next Council meeting here. It’s a setting which appeals to the ethos of our members with the care and attention to detail of the team that delivers a first-class service. Fetcham Park reflects my values. It’s the only environment I’ve worked in where I look forward to coming into the office every day.”

Iain Russell is founder and director of Russell IP, a specialist IP law practice providing high-quality, cost-effective patent attorney services for patent-savvy businesses, specifically in the arena of music technology.

Iain is recommended in the Legal 500 for being “extremely technical” and for having a “thorough understanding of telecommunications”. He has managed large, international patent portfolios for multiple telecommunications companies, including Unwired Planet, and has extensive experience of leading formal and informal examiner interviews, especially before the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO), the European Patent Office (EPO) and the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

He is also the inventor on around 40 UK, US and Canadian patent applications, including almost 20 granted patents, ranging from drones to dishwashers, making him one of the top-ten most prolific inventors of granted UK patents filed in recent years.

Working with a range of music technology companies, who make guitar amplifiers, guitar effects units, audio-driven products and tools, and innovative software applications for the audio-visual and music industries, means a huge part of his work involves confidential and sensitive data. Protecting his clients’ ideas and creations fundamentally impacts how and where he works.

After a move from London to Surrey, Iain initially worked from home before deciding to look for a dedicated space for his business. Finding the right location for the firm meant choosing an office which provided the assurance of privacy and security, and a focused environment, free from distraction.

Iain says, “Co-working or shared office space isn’t suitable for the nature of my business. I handle a lot of confidential and sensitive data and this needs to be stored appropriately. The set-up at Fetcham Park means there are numerous levels of security – from the main entrance, to individual fob systems, and lockable storage. There is even a safe in my office.

“The offices are extremely private with large windows providing lots of natural light, fresh air, and lovely views of the grounds. An office with glass walls wouldn’t provide the privacy I need to do my job effectively. Spending a large part of the day seated means the Herman Miller chairs are an added bonus and the team here are absolutely brilliant. They’re responsive to requests and go above and beyond – it’s things like this that make a big difference.”

For more than 20 years, the secure private offices, prestigious rooms and landscaped grounds at Fetcham Park have been a magnet for dynamic businesses and professionals.

The historic house, once a private home, benefits from high ceilings and large opening windows, creating light and spacious office suites. Each one has its own individual fob system and lockable cupboards, ideal for businesses and individuals who handle sensitive data, or work in heavily regulated industries where client confidentially is paramount.

For more information about Nick and Kounoupias IP visit http://www.kounoupiasip.com or contact nick@kounoupiasip.com 0207 917 6217.

To find out more about Iain and Russell IP visit https://www.russellip.com or contact iain@russellip.com 0330 133 2404.

For more information about serviced offices and meetings at Fetcham Park, email the team on hello@fetchampark.co.uk or call 01372 371 000.