To leverage your IP to its fullest potential, you need to renew patents you hold on a regular basis.  This typically involves patent renewal fees or “maintenance” fees.  It’s crucial to stay on top of these issues, because if you fail to pay on time or pay the incorrect amount, your rights may be irrevocably lost.

We know you have plenty of other things to be getting on with, so it’s often not practical for you as the IP right holder to manage the renewal fees payments yourself.  Patent renewal fees and periods vary, so you’ll need meticulous record-keeping and up-to-date knowledge of national law to ensure you pay the correct fees on time.  IP offices generally don’t send renewal fee reminders, so you run the risk of losing valuable IP rights if you don’t pay.  This can be tricky to stay on top of, particularly if you have a large portfolio of rights that span different countries.  In view of this risk, most clients use a service provider to keep track of renewal fees and ensure payments are made on time.

At GJE, we work closely with CPA Global to help our clients manage and maintain their diverse IP rights and patent renewals.  We share the relevant IP data with CPA Global electronically so our clients’ patent renewal fees are managed safely and efficiently.  We also offer alternative services for clients who wish to handle UK and EPO patent renewals in other ways.  What’s key is that the correct fees are paid on time – meaning one less thing for you and your team to manage.