For many companies, their intellectual property will constitute the most valuable of their assets – brands, logos, product innovation and development, computer programs, designs, confidential business information, to name only a few examples. However, too often these are not sufficiently exploited and the full range of protection afforded by law is under-utilized, giving competitors an unnecessary advantage.  In the meantime, those seeking the protection available have benefits such as being first-to-market, perhaps with a substantial lead-time.