Queen Mary's free legal advice service for digital start-ups is to take part in London's first ever Technology week from 16 - 20 June 2014.
Throughout London Technology Week the industry's top tech professionals will gather to share new ideas, build business relationships and help cement London's position as a top global tech hub.
qLegal, in partnership with Edwards Wildman and Kilburn & Strode, is hosting a series of talks and workshops for London Tech Week such as 'how to protect your innovations online', 'trademark and patent advice' and 'intellectual property for start ups'.
Patrick Cahill, Solicitor and Coordinator of qLegal, said: "It's fantastic to collaborate with our partners and students on such a range of workshops and talks over London Tech Week."
London is fast becoming one of the main global hubs for digital technology innovation as shown by the vibrancy and growth of Digital Shoreditch in east London. As a close neighbour, qLegal is very aware of the role it can play in this emerging digital innovation hub.
There are 3,000 tech companies in East London, employing an estimated 50,000 people (The Guardian, 8 July 2012). However being a business start-up in the UK is risky business, with one in three businesses failing within the first three years. qLegal helps individuals and companies to create jobs and entrepreneurs, and enables technological advancement, which in turn fuels innovation and development in the tech sector.
Ian Walden, Professor of Information and Communications Law at CCLS, said “It’s essential that companies in this particular sector protect their intellectual property at a very early stage in their business career. It may seem very complicated and daunting but by working with qLegal we can provide our clients with expert advice and ensure that these entrepreneurs and their ideas are protected and can continue to flourish in the future.”
qLegal provides free advice to tech start-ups and entrepreneurs at Queen Mary's award winning Legal Advice Centre. The service, which is run in conjunction with collaborating law firms, in-house teams and academics sees LLM students from the School of Law at Queen Mary provide advice directly to clients from the digital Shoreditch and Tech Hub community under the supervision of qualified legal professionals.
Read about qLegal and other stories in the CCLS Alumni News Bulletin 2014.