Terms & Conditions

These terms define some of the important aspects of our relationship. By understanding and observing them you can help the relationship be successful. All professional work carried out by us will be in accordance with these terms.

1. We rely on clients to give us timely, complete and accurate information and instructions.  Patent Offices often impose time limits and rights may be lost if appropriate action is not taken to meet these time limits.  We accept no liability if you do not provide clear and complete instructions early enough for us to act within official time limits.  We will normally tell you of time limits, and of actions or instructions that are required, but we do not undertake to give reminders.
2. Please notify us promptly of any change of personnel or contact details or of any change in ownership of rights.  Many such changes have to be officially registered.  Please remember that the obtaining of patents trademarks and design rights can take many years.
3. Please confirm all oral instructions in writing.
4. If requested we will give estimates of future costs.  These will be given in good faith based on knowledge existing at the time, but they are not binding, as costs may be affected by matters beyond our control and the amount of work involved often cannot be accurately forecast.
5. All actions and attention provided by us are chargeable.  These include telephone calls, reminders and reporting on communications which we may receive as your agent.
6. We may require payment on account, particularly large items such as fees and expenses to be incurred in foreign filing and actions.
7. Where expenses are incurred in currencies other than Sterling we apply a foreign exchange uplift to cover foreign exchange fees, bank charges and exchange rate fluctuations. Rates vary depending on the currency/activity and are based on industry standard rates approved by the Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg).
8. Otherwise, our invoices are payable net monthly.  We are entitled to charge interest at Barclays Bank base rate on any overdue account.
9. If payment is not made in due time we reserve the right to suspend further work: rights may be lost if this happens.
10. Unless some other arrangement is agreed in advance by a partner, the body or person who gives us instructions will be regarded as responsible for paying us.
11. Our files may be destroyed when no longer current.  Please therefore tell us if you require the return of any papers of other materials supplied to us. 
12. We reserve the right to retain any papers and materials until all payments due to us have been made.  Our own files remain our property.  If work is transferred from us to another representative, we will at our discretion either provide a copy of the papers from the file at your expense or hand over at your expense relevant papers from the file subject to the understanding that we shall be allowed access to the transferred papers.
    In the event that you do not wish to pay for the transfer of copies or original papers, we shall destroy our files after a period of 6 months from the date of the transfer of responsibility.
13. Maguire Boss is regulated by the Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg) and bound by its Rules of Conduct (see www.ipreg.org.uk)
14. A copy of our Complaints Procedure is available on request. If we are unable to deal with your compliant to your satisfaction, then you may be able to refer the matter to the Legal Services Ombudsman (see legalombudsman.org.uk).

No material change to the above terms is valid unless agreed in writing to a partner.