Member Article

Leading Manchester copyright lawyer tells international conference China concerns no longer apply

Fears that copyright claims are not worth pursuing in China have been quashed by a leading intellectual property expert.

Tony Catterall, Head of Intellectual Property at Taylors Solicitors in Manchester/Blackburn, spoke about copyright issues affecting the wallcoverings industry at the annual congress of IGI, the Global Wallcoverings Association in Portugal.

He was invited to address the conference as one of the best-known lawyers to the home furnishings industry and a leader in the field of designs and copyright.

He told members that the traditional concern that a copyright claim was not worth following up in China no longer applied.

Mr Catterall, who specialises in copyright work for the home furnishings, textiles and software industries, told the gathering he had personal experience of instructing lawyers in Shanghai and Beijing to bring successful copyright claims on behalf of his clients.

He said: “There are now many successful copyright claims in China, driven by the increasing sophistication of Chinese manufacturers wishing to protect their own IP rights. Businesses wishing to protect their copyright should no longer be deterred when doing business in China.”

John Carter, Chairman at Graham and Brown who also attended the IGI Congress said ‘I have had the pleasure in working with Tony for more than 20 years on design copyright issues, he is a straight taking guy who gives his opinion in a very clear and concise manner, from the start you get a very clear indication from Tony if you there is or isn’t a case to answer, this in my opinion is very unusual when you talk to a lawyer you can find yourself coming out of a meeting with more questions than answers, this is definitely not the case when you appoint Tony to represent you.’

IGI, headquartered in Belgium, is a worldwide not-for-profit organisation with the mission to help the wallcovering industry solve business problems by providing a forum for discussion.

With offices in Blackburn and Manchester, Taylors is a commercial law firm exclusively acting for company clients. The dynamic and highly experienced lawyers at Taylors are committed to providing the highest quality service through a first-hand understanding of our clients’ business priorities and specific requirements. It is a well-known advisor to companies in the UK Home Furnishings Industry.

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