Ignite Conversation: Creativity, the Circular Economy, and Commercial Control
Watch the recording below:
As the climate crisis worsens, it is incumbent upon innovators to create sustainable products, services and systems that mitigate environmental impact whilst driving economic growth. To this end, in recent years, there has been a notable shift in design ethics to move away from a single-use linear economic model, to an environmentally conscious circular economy.
However, without adequate protections in place to prevent knock-offs and copying, creatives risk leaving the fruits of their creativity exposed for exploitation by a commercial system largely entrenched by linear economic interests.
This talk will discuss the ethical case for legal protections governing innovation, as well as the legal tools that designers, engineers and innovators can avail themselves of to provide enhanced control over the manner in which their creativity is commercialised. There will be an opportunity for discussion of the key themes, and robust debate is very much welcomed.
Panelists:
Speaker 1 Biography: Greg Carty-Hornsby, Design and Patent attorney, Marks & Clerk
Greg is a design and patent attorney based in Manchester. He regularly advises on issues of clearance searching and infringement for new product launches, and has extensive experience obtaining registered design and patent protection for his clients both in the UK and abroad. Greg has a first class Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Birmingham and specialises in mechanical-type products, most notably in the automotive and manufacturing sectors.
Speaker 2 Biography: Michael Shaw, Trade Mark Attorney, Marks & Clerk
Mike is experienced in all aspects of trade mark, copyright and design work, including the filing and prosecution of UK, overseas and international trade mark and registered design applications, and advising on availability and conflicts. Mike has particular expertise in relation to design protection for graphic symbols and logos, screen displays and graphical user interfaces. Mike heads up the trade mark team in the Manchester office and is leader of the firm’s design-copyright practice group.
Mike graduated in Law from Liverpool University before obtaining a distinction in the Legal Practice Course from the College of Law, Chester. He joined Marks & Clerk in 1996 and qualified as a UK and European Trade Mark Attorney, becoming a Partner in 2002. He won the Institute of Trade Mark Agents’ Parker Memorial Award, and lectures frequently in relation to trade mark, copyright and design matters.
Speaker 3 Biography: Amy Morris, Patent Attorney, Marks & Clerk
Amy is a patent attorney who also specialises in design rights. Her work focuses on mechanical and electrical technologies across a range of industries including oil and gas, food and beverage, printing, packaging and labelling, automotive, power tools, and manufacturing. Amy has experience in drafting and prosecuting patent and industrial design applications in the UK and Europe, as well as coordinating prosecution abroad. Amy graduated from Durham University with a first class Master’s degree in General Engineering (Mechanical).
View the recording of our previous Ignite Conversation: Design in Space, which took place on 11th August 2022.