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What Our Customers Say...
I want to personally thank Charlie Heal , Emily Fox, Cara McAtee, and the entire team at Albright IP for their hard work, dedication, and professionalism in helping me submit my first ever patent: the Baffer Ball fire suppression system.
From the very first meeting, Charlie and Emily made everything feel clear, comfortable, and respectful. They listened carefully to my ideas, even though I’m not from a technical or legal background – I’m a painter and decorator by trade. But they believed in my vision and treated it with such care and seriousness that I felt truly supported as an inventor.
Over several months, we worked closely by email and phone. Charlie and the team guided me step by step to build one of the strongest, clearest, and most professional patent drafts I could have hoped for. The claims they wrote are powerful, and the language used shows how deeply they understood my invention. They didn’t just file a document – they helped shape a legacy.
Charlie, even though he is young, is incredibly professional and experienced. I am amazed at how he managed such a complex project with kindness, patience, and precision. Emily and Cara were also fantastic throughout.
This was not just paperwork – this was my dream since childhood. And Albright IP helped me make that dream real.
💬 I look forward to working with them again on future patents. The Baffer Ball is just the beginning – and I am proud that Albright IP was there from Day 1.
Thank you so much again — from the bottom of my heart.
— Morteza
He’s not only incredibly knowledgeable, but also warm and approachable. No question has ever felt too small, and he genuinely cares about the success of my business. I’d highly recommend Marc to anyone looking for a dedicated, trustworthy, and skilled patent attorney.
The patent was filed within weeks and had a depth of technical input from Albright that was excellent. I'm very pleased.
I have filed patents in the past but working with Albright IP was a totally different experience. I recommend them without hesitation.
Their knowledge regarding the patent process is extensive.
They have help me navigate the complex process to gain patent granted on my first design and patent pending on my second design.
I feel reassured and confident to put my designs in their hands knowing they will give the best advice based on the facts and not for their own financial gain.
Brilliant company.
Kathryn Haslam
Comfyi.
They were also very clear regarding fees, and set out a very helpful visual timeline and cost breakdown on the whole patent application process at the pre-sales stage. This emphasis on making sure I understood all aspects of the work, and having documentation to help with that, is something I didn't see with any of the other patent services I was talking to at the time. This clear communication continued throughout our interactions.
Would recommend Albright IP to anyone looking to patent an invention. The patent they filed for me was for a software invention.
No upselling for their fee either, just a fair, professional appraisal...
Thanks to Allbright, I am not spending thousands on a low hope project (when I so easily could have been).
Then end result being that we accomplished everything I wanted to in time and budget.
Highly recommend.
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Patent Invention
Once you have turned your idea into an invention, you will most certainly need legal advice on how to protect your creation.
However, you might be wondering if you will be able to obtain a patent for your invention. 
A specialist area of law, intellectual property law governs the ownership of creative property. In a world that has new ideas and inventions appearing every day, inventors must protect their creations from others who may try to profit from them.
WHAT IS A PATENT?
A patent for invention protects the ideas behind how things are designed and how they work.
A patent is a legal right which aims to ensure that other individuals or companies cannot benefit from the time and effort you have put into researching and developing your invention.
For a limited amount of time (typically 20 years), it gives you the right to stop others from making, using, or selling your invention without your permission.
CAN I PATENT MY INVENTION?
The main question to answer is whether or not your invention is patentable. Several criteria need to be met in order to obtain a patent for your invention.
Firstly, your invention must be a device, product, or process that can be used practically within the industry.
Things that qualify include decorative designs, discoveries, theories, or ways of thinking. However, some creative works may be entitled to other types of protection and/or copyright.
Additionally, your invention must be new, and must be sufficiently different from any previous invention. This means that it cannot be something that has been publicly available or published prior to the date of your own patent application.
The invention must also be non-obvious. In other words, the solution must not be something that anyone with some general technical expertise in the relevant field can obviously derive or suggest. It should be innovative, even to someone who has good knowledge of the subject.
HOW DO I APPLY TO PATENT MY INVENTION?
As patent attorneys, Albright IP will undertake all the legal written work to describe in technical terms your idea. We will build you a legal ring fence, and argue and counter-argue the validity of your idea before not only the UK Intellectual Property Office, but also each patent office across the globe in order to achieve a successful outcome resulting in the strongest patent rights possible.
The process in the United Kingdom as a whole can normally take around 5 years. However, we can apply for acceleration, and by doing that, it is perfectly possible to obtain grant of your patent in well under a year.
To successfully patent the invention, there are numerous critical steps that if missed will result in your patent application being refused.
Before applying, you need to ensure that your patent invention is new. Our team are able to conduct pre-application searches for you.
The European Patent Office also operates a basic free searchable patents database, called Espacenet.
We have put together more information about the application process for patents in the UK, Europe, the US, and internationally.
ARE THERE RESTRICTIONS?
There are some restrictions or exclusions that must be avoided in order to patent inventions. An invention may be deemed not patentable if it is classed as:
- A discovery
- A scientific theory
- An aesthetic creation, literary or artistic work
- A way of thinking, playing a game, or doing business
- Something that is naturally occurring
HOW LONG DOES AN INVENTION PATENT LAST?
In many countries, the standard period that a patent for invention lasts is 20 years. 
This may be shortened by it lapsing or by it being revoked. This can happen for multiple reasons.
In the United Kingdom, patents need to be renewed on the 4th anniversary of it being filed, and once granted. It will then need to be renewed annually, on or before the last day of the month in which you first filed it.
The patent can be renewed up to 3 months before, or 1 month after the du
e date without incurring a surcharge.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
To patent inventions successfully, we are conscious that there is a steep learning curve. The Albright IP team aims to provide proactive and practical free initial guidance in an easily understandable and digestible form.
As well as advising about patenting inventions, our team also provides guidance regarding Registered Designs. These aim to protect the appearance of your products.
Additionally, please ask us for help with protecting your brand image, such as Company Name. Your Trade Marks are critical to your success, and must be handled with care and diligence.
Similarly, Copyright covers your literary, artistic, and graphical works. Again, please feel free to ask for advice.
Keeping ahead of your competitors has never been more important. Growing your business, and securing both tangible assets (systems and products) and intangible assets (intellectual property and know-how) will help to differentiate yourself, ring fence your part of the market, and make you attractive downstream to potential buyers and/or investors.
We have many decades of accumulated experience working with inventors, designers, entrepreneurs, and businesses or all sizes. Our intellectual property services will assist you in protecting your new designs and products in an efficient, clear, and cost-effective way.
Based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Albright IP is a firm of British and European Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys. With their extensive experience, our UK and European Attorney teams work with clients to obtain practical, potent, and cost-effective IP (intellectual property) protection both nationally and globally.
We represent you before the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO), the European Patent Office (EPO), and internationally before the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
If you would like further information, please contact us on +44 (0) 1242 691 801 to speak to a qualified British and European patent attorney, or fill in the form below.
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