Business Legal Services
Intellectual Property Licensing
Exploit the benefits of intellectual property licensing with legal support that future-proofs your business.
Your intellectual property is one of your most valuable business assets. Commercialise intellectual property in the right way for your business with an IP licensing strategy lead by our experts.
Experts in intellectual property law
Our team can assist you across all areas of intellectual property law, including:
Intellectual Property Licensing Solicitors
Commercialisation of intellectual property rights by licensing
Our team of intellectual property solicitors can support you with:
Advice on intellectual property licensing that ties in with your broader business strategy
Tap into existing intellectual property from third parties with the right agreement in place to secure your
Defining parameters of the relevant IP and help to identify who owns it
Drafting documents in relation to licensing of intellectual property rights, from simple assignments and licences to complex joint development agreements
Fee structure set out in the licence
Licensing out intellectual property to third parties generating a new revenue stream
Licensing in permitting you the use of third-party intellectual property that would not otherwise be available to you, saving time and money on research and development
IP asset purchases as well as joint research and development projects and mergers and acquisitions
Negotiations such as royalty structures
IP Dispute Resolution
Intra-group licensing helping you avoid unregulated sharing of intellectual property
Cross-border licensing and advice on how intellectual property licence agreements should be interpreted in that jurisdiction
Sub-licensing
Registration at the UK Intellectual Property Office or the EU Patent Office affording you certain protections
Essentials of licensing intellectual property
Getting the right legal support with intellectual property and licensing means that you will avoid common pitfalls and get the essentials right, first time.
Working with you to understand your business needs, we will help you answer the following questions when drafting an intellectual property licence agreement to ensure long-term commercial benefit:
- Has the description of the intellectual property been clearly defined?
- Has ownership of the IP been clearly established and is the licensor confident that they have the right to license the IP?
- What will the duration of the licence be?
- What type of licence will be granted – exclusive, non-exclusive or sole?
- What fee structure will be set out in the licence?
- What restrictions apply to the use of the IP?
- Will the licensee have the right to modify or develop the IP?
- Is the licensee permitted to sub-license the IP?
- May the licence agreement be assigned to a third party?
- Does the licence agreement include any warranties?
- What will happen if things go wrong? Does the licence include any indemnities in respect of potential losses that may be suffered by each party?
- What remedies are provided for under the licence agreement?
- Can the terms of the intellectual property licence agreement be varied by the parties? If so, how?
Benefits
What are the benefits of licensing intellectual property?
Safeguard your own innovations
Gain a competitive edge by licensing product and service advancements developed by your in-house team.
Save time and money
Reduce time spent on research and development with access to existing intellectual property that gets you to market quicker.
Access new tech and boost business credibility
Tap into existing intellectual property from third parties with the right agreement in place to secure your
Take the weight off your shoulders with shared risk
Develop product innovations without the risk of manufacturing, marketing and selling the product. With the right licence agreement in place you could be selling products that help scale your business without running the risk and incurring the cost of product research and development.
Create new revenue streams
By licensing intellectual property to other organisations, you generate additional revenue.
Improve your ability to move into other markets
Take advantage where a pre-existing owner of IP is logistically unable to move into other territories and enter into a licensing agreement that gives you the opportunity to move into that market.
Who we help
We support a wide range of UK-based clients in innovative businesses where the effective protection and utilisation of intellectual property is crucial, such as creative industries, retail and luxury brands, manufacturing and engineering and emerging technologies. We advise clients of all types, from university spinouts and start-ups to SMEs and large multi-nationals.
Finding the right legal partner
Why work with Harper James
Choose a legal partner you can trust: we’ll help protect your goals, your business and your people so you can move forward with confidence and focus on growing your business.
Affordable, transparent and predictable pricing
Clear itemised invoices, subscription plans with up to 50% discount, and fixed fee products help you plan and manage legal spend – with no nasty surprises.
Proven track record and measurable results
We’ve supported over 8,000 businesses since 2014, with an ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot and a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 60+ from monthly client surveys.
Straight-talking, responsive advice
We’re here to make things easier, not add complexity. That means fast response times, practical expert legal advice delivered in plain English, and dedicated client service and account management support.
Risk and compliance assured
We’re an SRA regulated firm, but more importantly, we build quality, data, and compliance best practice into everything we do.
Appointing a legal partner is a big decision. That’s why we’re open about our values, culture and model, so you can see what makes us tick. And because a productive partnership starts with understanding, we always begin with a conversation – listening to your goals, pressures and plans, then tailoring our support to fit.
Testimonials
What our clients say
We pride ourselves on delivering an excellent service for clients, but don’t just take our word for it.
Why choose Harper James Solicitors?
We can assist you with strategic analysis of your IP portfolio and support you with all your licensing requirements – from the licensing in of business-critical software to careful licensing out of your intellectual property.
Our IP licensing solicitors have a wealth of experience in successful IP strategy, IP exploitation and IP dispute resolution. We are experienced in identifying, protecting, exploiting and policing clients’ rights under extensive intellectual property portfolios.
Plus, we have all been recruited from top 100 UK law firms or from large international businesses and have advised clients both as external advisors and as in-house IP/brand management counsel. Find out more about the team here:
Top ranked SME focused firm
"Harper James is a one-stop shop for anything legal. It has excellent breadth, with experience on a large number of deals and multiple departments for different legal areas."
Chambers and Partners 2026
Pricing and service plans
Legal support designed
to fit your business needs
Our three transparent service plans are designed to give you the widest possible access to high-quality legal advice, whatever the size and nature of your business:
Engage
Flexible access to senior solicitors at highly competitive rates
An alternative to our subscription plans, offering access to full service legal expertise on a project-by-project basis.
Enable
Purpose built legal support for start-ups and smaller businesses
Monthly subscription plan for £239 per month, with £159 monthly credit and access to all legal services at 50% discount on our Standard Rates.
Extend
Comprehensive legal partnership for established businesses
Fully account managed and scalable annual subscription plan with support from a curated team of partners and senior solicitors, with up to 33% discount on our Standard Rates.
