The international patent and Trade Mark firm Swindell & Pearson, which has had its head office in Derby’s Friar Gate for forty years, is celebrating its 135th anniversary.
The firm can trace its Derby-roots and inaugural registration with the patent agency back to 1878, the year in which major inventors included Thomas Edison and David Edward Hughes.
Operating until the 1970’s as essentially a one-man patent attorney practice, the firm today has a vibrant team of sixteen Intellectual Property (IP) professionals, with a network of offices across the UK in Burton, Stoke, Sheffield, Stafford and Walsall, with its newest office in London. It provides a complete range of IP services to a growing national and international portfolio of blue chip companies, major brands, public and private sector organisations.
As well as a strong foothold throughout the UK, the firm also operates across Europe, representing clients on a daily basis in the UK Intellectual Property Office, the European Patent Office, and the European Community Trade Mark and Design offices.
“The world of innovation and inventions has progressed immeasurably since 1878, when patent applications included the first commercially practical incandescent light bulb, and the microphone,” comments Swindell & Pearson’s Practice Director, Phil Mulchinock.
“Our practice and team has developed to embrace new technologies, especially in the last 35 years, and has carved a particular niche in the telecoms, electronics and other high tech fields. Alongside, we remain still very active in a wide variety of traditional technologies such as engineering, ceramics, chemistry and foodstuffs.
“The practice has considerably expanded its overseas representation, with a growing number of international associate firms that enable expert IP protection and advice for clients anywhere in the world, ensuring local clients can be advised on how to protect their ideas in any countries of interest and potential.
“The complex field of design law continues to present incredible opportunities for our Trade Mark clients, and we provide expert advice and assistance to an extensive portfolio of organisations, many of them household names, to ensure protection around the world is in place.”
Whilst being flexible and sensitive to emerging technologies and international market opportunities throughout its history and particularly since the Second World War, Swindell & Pearson has always had its head office in Derby.
“The practice has moved only three times since the original address of Imperial Chambers given in the first official Register in 1878,” explains Phil. “In 1930 the firm moved from Albert Street to Queen Street and then in 1973 to its first premises on Friar Gate, followed by a move to larger premises just a few doors away in 1987 where the firm has remained.
“Original records and archived documents indicate the patent firm was originally established in Derby in 1878,” explains Phil. “We can trace William Swindell of Albert Street, Derby as its first official patent agent and he appears on the very first official Register in 1889. William Swindell ran the practice single-handedly for many years, before being joined by John Pearson in the 1970s to create Swindell & Pearson.”
Additional instructions for the practice include resolving IP disputes and litigation matters for clients to address any issues that do emerge, which takes its team to tribunals, Courts, offices and even up to the House of Lords.
