1. Select one category which best describes your role in the firm. (Reference to solicitors includes registered foreign lawyers)
   
   
2. Which age category are you in?
   
   
3. What is your sex?
   
   
4. Is your gender identity the same as your sex registered at birth?
   
   
5. Do you consider yourself to have a disability according to the definition in the Equality Act 2010?
   The Equality Act 2010 defines a disabled person as someone who has a mental or physical impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. If you have a condition which fits the Equality Act definition, please tick ‘Yes’ even if you are not limited by your condition.
   
   
6. Are your day-to-day activities limited by your disability or condition?
   
   
7. What is your ethnicity?
   
   
8. What is your religion or belief?
   
   
9. What is your sexual orientation?
   
   
10. What was the occupation of your main household earner when you were aged about 14?
    
    
11. Which type of school did you attend for the most time between the ages of 11 and 16?
    If you changed schools, please base your answer on the last two years of your education.
    
    
12. Did either of your parents attend university and gain a degree (eg BA/BSc or equivalent) by the time you were 18?
    
    
13. Are you a primary carer for a child or children under 18?
    
    
14. Do you look after or care for someone 18 or over with long term physical or mental ill health caused by disability or age (not in a paid capacity)?
    
    

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In today’s data-driven world, I am constantly on the lookout for ways to leverage data to make informed decisions. Tools like Power BI have become indispensable in my work, providing powerful data visualization and business intelligence capabilities that enable me to create interactive reports and dashboards. However, mastering these tools and their underlying languages, such as DAX (Data Analysis Expressions), can be challenging. This is where AI-powered assistants like ChatGPT come in, offering real-time assistance, and enhancing my productivity. A recent survey by GitHub has highlighted the widespread acceptance of such AI tools among developers, with a staggering 92% of US-based developers working in large companies reporting the use of an AI coding tool either at work or in their personal time¹.

A Glimpse into the Future of ChatGPT

The future of AI in the workplace is promising, with a potential business version of ChatGPT on the horizon. The rumoured features such as managing workspaces, inputting documents, and setting custom profile prompts could revolutionize how we interact with AI².

Custom profiles for different departments, each tailored to the unique needs and challenges of their roles, could become invaluable resources. Imagine an investigator profile, acting as a master investigator, scouring the internet to source company information. This AI assistant could essentially become an instant messaging Wiki, using the input documents to help the investigator in their role.

Consider a compliance officer profile, a master negotiator capable of analysing input text for sentiment and drafting or modifying responses to achieve the desired result. This AI assistant could provide invaluable support in negotiations, helping to ensure the best outcomes for the company.

Or a data analyst profile, a coding guru able to generate high-quality code, suggest improvements and identify bugs. This AI assistant could use the input files to answer queries, identify outliers, find errors, and visualize data as requested. It could become an indispensable tool for data analysts, enhancing productivity and accuracy.

Policy Considerations

As AI becomes more prevalent in our work, it’s crucial to address potential risks. Apple, for instance, has restricted the use of ChatGPT among its employees due to concerns about potential leaks of confidential data³. This highlights the need for companies to adopt policies regarding the input of sensitive company data into these large language models (LLMs).

Companies big and small are shaping policies that say what employees can and can’t do with generative artificial intelligence tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT. For example, Samsung banned the use of generative AI tools after an employee uploaded sensitive code to ChatGPT⁴. On the other hand, digital business contract software company Ironclad developed its own generative AI use policy, despite the fact that its technology is empowered by generative AI itself⁴.

These developments underscore the importance of having clear policies in place for the use of AI tools in the workplace. As AI continues to evolve and become more integrated into our work, it’s crucial for companies to stay ahead of the curve and ensure they’re using these tools in a way that’s secure, ethical, and beneficial for all.

References

1. GitHub finds 92% of developers love AI tools
2. Upcoming ChatGPT features: file uploading, profiles, organizations and workspaces
3. Apple Restricts Employee Use of ChatGPT, Joining Other Companies Wary of Leaks
4. Samsung among companies starting to draft ChatGPT policies for workers

The post Team Personal Insight: Enhancing My Work Life with ChatGPT appeared first on CJCH Legal Compliance.

Getting to know the terms

Terms such as “anti-piracy” and “licence compliance” might seem to be counter-intuitive, but in reality, are quite straight forward. Anti-Piracy is the process of instituting countermeasures to piracy. In our industry, piracy does not mean eye-patches and cannon battles at sea. Rather, it refers to the reproduction or unauthorised use of someone else’s work or innovations.

Physical copyright infringement, such as reproduction of clothing, is commonly known as counterfeiting. When it comes to the digital arena, such as computer games and software, we refer to this as piracy.

“Licence compliance” is a term used to describe the process which follows on from the identification of infringement activity. The licence is the right the software developers give to the users which allows them to use the product they have developed in a specific way or format. These details are usually outlined in a “ULA” or user licensing agreement. Terms will vary depending on the developer, but any user who uses these products is agreeing to these terms when they install and/or use the software. The terms usually include the number of times the product may be installed on a device or number of devices it may be installed on. They may also relate to the number of users who may use a single licence, the location the licences may be used in, or the primary function the licence may be used for, i.e. personal, academic, or commercial use.

Therefore, licence compliance is the process by which the owner of the copyright takes action to enforce their copyright and require an unauthorised user (someone who is using a fake, copied, or cracked version of their product without paying for it) to pay for the licence and usage that they have benefitted from.

What is a Raid?

In a field shrouded in misperceptions and deception, we often come across infringements that, for various reasons, such as the scope of the violation, require a more direct and tactical intervention – an on-site inspection ordered by a law-enforcement authority (often informally referred to as a Raid).

As mentioned above, copyright infringements constitute a violation of intellectual property rights. Due to the intangible nature of computer programs, there are mechanisms which allow for software infringements’ traces to be easily hidden or deleted by the infringer. This makes it very difficult for the right holder to enforce their rights and consequently could result in the infringer being able to avoid liability.

An on-site inspection is an approach we use which helps to avoid these risks. An unexpected inspection on the premises on the infringer, ordered by a law-enforcement authority enables the right holder to obtain and/or secure the evidence of the software infringements currently being used and has proven a very effective remedy.

How can this be implemented?

Around the world, the legislation of various nations usually provides the possibility to obtain an ex parte / Inaudita parte order (meaning it is in the interest of one of the parties to the matter) for the inspection which will be granted by the relevant authority (court, prosecutor, police…) depending on the jurisdiction. Once this order is obtained, and following the regulations of that particular jurisdiction, an inspection is conducted, usually under the supervision of local law enforcement, to inspect the premises of suspected infringements.

Access to the premises is granted, by order of the authority, and the inspection is carried out. All computer devices and IT equipment are inspected, and evidence of unlicensed software use is gathered/or preserved.

On-site inspections are a legal process which we manage on behalf of our clients and is a service which has allowed many of our clients to expose large volumes of unlawful use of their products which have been stolen from them.

CJCH have a dedicated on-site inspection team which are strategically placed to observe and monitor our client’s usage data. To date, they have managed the legal process relating to on-site inspections for a number of cases and have recovered in excess of €1 million in revenue for our clients (with up to a further €1 million in pending action).

The post STOP THIEF! Theft, investigation, and raids in a digital economy appeared first on CJCH Legal Compliance.

The Anti-Piracy and Licence Compliance division of CJCH Solicitors caters for the copyright protection needs of several global clients. The division comprises of two main teams:

1. The Anti-Piracy and Business Intelligence researchers – who perform comprehensive and evaluative research providing the firm with the building blocks that their cases are established on; and
2. The Compliance officers – who (in collaboration with their respective commercial teams) put the cases into action.

These teams are made up of individuals belonging to an impressive 26 different nationalities, all of whom offer linguistic and cultural expertise allowing them to effectively engage with clients, cases, and infringers from over 42 countries around the globe. This level of diversity and multi-nationalism in such a concentrated space is a demonstration of just one aspect of the commitment and sophistication the firms cross-border Anti-Piracy efforts.

Below is an image highlighting a spread of the countries in which CJCH currently operate in including some figures showing the number of cases created in the corresponding countries across the 2017 calendar year.

CJCH’s work ranges across 42 countries worldwide, covering a huge 14.6 million km² of digital aerospace!

As shown above, with such a high numbers of cases it’s not surprising that the teams who deal directly with the infringing companies are experts at knowing what to expect when they are confronting suspected infringers.

In light of this, the Anti-Piracy and Licence Compliance team are often confronted with a range of interesting, if not repetitive, explanations for the infringing behaviours. There are only so many excuses for the same crime and the conviction with which the same lines are delivered time and time again is surprising. Some reoccurring classics include:

“I have done no such thing, neither has anyone else within my company. It must have been a passer-by.”

This after having been presented with evidence of hundreds or even thousands of infringements registered on the property in question.

“We have no use for your software.”

Regardless of their websites and associated job-site platforms explicitly claiming the opposite.

“I’ve never heard of your software.”

In spite of the fact that the individuals involved had been linked to a number of companies, both with the same registered illegal usage of a client’s software.

Since the creation of the Anti-Piracy and Licence Compliance department in November 2014, the range of services provided and the global scale on which CJCH provide these services has grown exponentially, with current plans and predictions only expanding their reach. The firm continues to grow both in size and sphere of influence, with many an exciting development on the horizon.

The post CJCH Anti-Piracy and Licence Compliance service: Did you know? appeared first on CJCH Legal Compliance.

Digital piracy remains a lucrative outlet for cyber criminals. According to the piracy tracking firm, MUSO, season 7 of HBO’s fantasy drama Game of Thrones was reportedly viewed illegally online 1 billion times globally, almost equal to the population of China. Streaming websites have revolutionised the sharing and consumption of pirated content by allowing internet users to instantaneously view films and series online, as if they were viewing catch-up services provided by cable TV channels. Sports live streams have also provided a comparable service to pay-per-view services offered by the likes of BT Sports and Sky. Research by MUSO has shown that the UK ranks fifth globally for illegal film and TV streaming, demonstrating a unique problem facing the UK Government’s Intellectual Property Office. This article will consider how law enforcement, the creative industry and rights holders themselves can combat streaming piracy and how a collaborative approach across the industry with relevant stakeholders will ultimately lead to a sustainable decrease in piracy.

Online streaming and law enforcement in the UK: a difficult job done well

A specialised unit of the City of London police force, known as the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit, or ‘PIPCU’, has been mandated by the Intellectual Property Office to police online piracy. In an interview with Sky News, one of its veteran investigators indicated that the police force has been forced to adopt new methods in the fight against digital piracy. A good example of this new thinking can be found in its ‘Operation Creative’, a landmark initiative to fight against piracy. The aim of this project is to cut off the potential revenue streams available to websites hosting illicit content through advertising: rights holders simply compile a dossier detailing the evidence against a website and PIPCU’s dedicated team will confirm whether the target entity is infringing any relevant copyright rules. At first instance, investigators will contact the infringing website and offer a chance for engagement with law enforcement and for the website holder to correct their illegal activity. Next, if the website refuses to comply, PIPCU will usually consider numerous additional intelligence options, including: contacting the domain registrar (the relevant internet body authorised to reserve Internet domain names for users on demand) to request suspension of the specific website; applying for advert replacement; or adding the suspect to the Infringing Website List (‘IWL’) database. This online portal is maintained and verified by the City of London Police unit and accessed by all the major rights holders. Furthermore, in a report published on the City of London Police website, whiteBULLET, an IP data analytics company, concluded that Operation Creative’s IWL had led to a 64% decrease in advertising on non-compliant streaming websites.

Unsurprisingly, technology companies have also led the way in developing innovative detection software which will help to accurately target, and disrupt, illegal online streams. Cisco Systems has pioneered new technology, simply referred to as Streaming Piracy Prevention, which uses artificial intelligence technology to identify, flag and block blacklisted content automatically and in real time. The technology is designed to automatically scan the streamed video to detect the source of the infringing content and will then use the video security system to shut down the source and the stream itself in the process. More importantly, this process can be conducted without any external collaboration, for example with internet service providers or server hosts.

However, this progression can be contrasted with the neglect on the part of large technology companies, like Google and Facebook, to effectively police their various online platforms. An article published in The Times in July 2017 criticised Google’s hesitant approach, with the tech giant displaying readily available links to such sites through its search engine, with some reportedly appearing in the ‘featured results’ box, as further discussed in an article posted by Incoproip.com. At the time of writing, none of the illegal sites appeared in this list but it was still easy to locate such websites when searching, suggesting Google needs to refine its search platform to avoid such websites gaining a prominent place in search results. A spokesperson for Google claimed that the recommended search results related to algorithmic problems and did not reflect Google’s stated aim to reduce online piracy. It remains to be seen whether these words will be translated into concrete action in the future.

Rights holders must also make their content easily accessible

Ultimately, content owners must continue to make their content accessible online to both delegitimise and reduce illegal streaming activities. This is borne out by research conducted by Dr Brett Danaher of Wellesley College which revealed that the decision to legally offer online access to NBC content through Hulu led to a 20% decrease in illegal streaming activity online. NBC’s well documented decision in 2007 to remove some of its content from the ITunes store led to an increase in piracy by approximately 11%, according to Dr Danaher. Consequently, offering access to potential customers through digital channels must remain a priority for content providers in the ongoing fight against digital piracy.

The post Netflix and Chill vs Kodi and Jail: how to tackle the menace of illegal streamers appeared first on CJCH Legal Compliance.

Data and intellectual property specialist Ana Kocmut-Saunders, Anti-Piracy and Licence Compliance manager Anna Krajewska, and Anti-Piracy and Business Intelligence specialist researcher and supervisor Charlotte Bardet are speaking out to mark the worldwide initiative on April 26.

This year’s event will see people coming together to celebrate the impact of Women in Innovation and Creativity globally. This year’s theme aims to highlight the remarkable and life-enhancing achievements of women working to drive progression across the IP and life science industries.
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To celebrate the day, all three team members at CJCH Solicitors and CJCH Consulting have explained why they chose a career in intellectual property, the most common IP misconceptions, and their thoughts on gender inclusivity in IP.

Ana Kocmut-Saunders

Data and IP specialist, Commercial Law team

Why did you decide to enter IP profession?

I grew up in a very creative environment. My grandad was a known artist who designed postage stamps and bank notes for former Yugoslavia, my parents were involved in music and antiques, and my sister is an architect.

Consequently, I learned from very young age to understand and appreciate creativity.

However, I always wanted to be a lawyer, and hence I have chosen an area of law that is closest to originality and innovation.

Before I joined CJCH Solicitors, I worked as an in-house lawyer for a leading Microsoft Gold partner that had developed its own IP to enhance the standard product offering. It was here I discovered how dynamic IP law is and how valuable IP can be for a business.

What is the one key piece of advice you’d always give to clients about IP?

IP is one of the most important financial assets of any business. It can potentially make up more than 40% of an average business value. It is an item on the balance sheet that will present itself in the short-to-midterm as a ROI, but going forward it can generate pure profit.

What is the one misconception clients always have about IP?

I would say that there are some misconceptions about IP. Organisations or individuals are not aware of all forms of IP that can support and protect their businesses, for example customer lists should be regarded as a trade secret.

Initially, it can be hard for them to understand the value of their IPR, especially the ones that are difficult to identify, such as know-how and already mentioned customer lists. They may also struggle to see how they can effectively exploit their IP.

At the outset, IP enables individuals and organisations to separate their products and/ or services from their competitors and to make it easier for them, if necessary, to prove their ownership.

Do you think IP profession is more inclusive in 2018?

IP has always been an all-encompassing area of law that requires experts from different professions to work together as a team. If you are in an IP profession, you need to walk a mile in your client’s shoes in order to understand your client’s business and meet your client’s needs.

Globalisation and rapid developments in technology in recent years have profoundly changed the way businesses operate. CJCH recognised this shift in the market early on and as a forward-looking law firm CJCH has responded to these new market conditions by embracing technology, and by employing people with different sets of skills from different professions. This bespoke approach has enabled CJCH to successfully tackle and prevent web-based copyright infringements.

Why do you think it is important to celebrate IP Day?

From a business perspective, it is important to raise awareness of all the different forms of IP, the best way for organisations and individuals to protect their IP and to exploit benefits of monopoly rights.

Nonetheless, by celebrating IP we celebrate and encourage originality, creativity and innovation as driving forces in our lives.

Anna Krajewska

Anti-Piracy and Licence Compliance manager

Why did you decide to enter the IP profession?

I worked for 10 years at the Polish Railways specialising in domestic and international transportation law, and joining CJCH in 2017 was a new challenging chapter in my career.

Having no bespoke academic background in Intellectual Property, I was offered a unique opportunity to gain my experience by “doing”.

CJCH with its extensive offer of IP related services, including among others IP management, IP commercialisation and IP rights protection turned out to be indeed, a perfect place to gain experience in this area of expertise.

Being part of the Anti-Piracy and Compliance Department has allowed me to observe IP “in action” first hand.

What IP services does CJCH offer?

At Anti-Piracy and Compliance we identify potential IP infringements through our thorough research and then follow up with a mediation process of license compliance.

In the case of innovative software development, IP is the most precious asset and our task is to help our clients to recover their loss of revenue due to piracy.

What is the one key piece of advice you’d always give to clients about IP?

I agree with the opinion that IP is not so much about law as it is about business. It exists to serve and protect client’s genuine business assets. This is one of the reasons why seeking legal advice could be of crucial importance regardless of the size of the company.

What is the one misconception clients always have about IP?

Quite often a client might be confused about what trade mark, copyright or patents mean. Helping the client to understand the differences between the definitions, and how they are used, will substantially help decide which form of IP might be best for their business.

From the commercial point of view, IP rights allow to differentiate client’s business from their competition and might be a very useful tool to attract investors as well.

Why do you think it is important to celebrate IP Day?

Despite the growing awareness of IP within societies, there is still room for improvement.

For instance, according to 2017 EUIPO report “European Citizens and Intellectual Property. Perception, awareness and behavior” 97% of respondents believe it is important that inventors, creators and performing artists can protect their rights and be paid for their work.

However, 10 % of respondents admitted accessing content from illegal online sources intentionally, and especially among the group aged 15-24 the number was significantly higher: 27% !

I believe celebrating IP Day is a great opportunity to highlight the value of IP and to help to raise awareness of piracy. Building respect for IP from the youngest age should be one of the main goals of public and private sector as well as civil society.

Charlotte Bardet

Supervisor, Anti-Piracy research and Business Intelligence team

Why did you decide to enter the IP profession?

Although I have always found this area particularly interesting, with the ever increasing dependency on data and technology in business, I had never really thought about or intended on entering the IP profession.

When selecting my optional modules for the Legal Practice Course (LPC), and over much deliberation, I ended up opting for Mergers and Acquisitions over IP.

However, on completing the LPC, a position as Researcher on the Anti-Piracy and Compliance team at CJCH opened up and I grabbed the opportunity to work at such a vibrant and forward-thinking firm.

I remember thinking how ahead of the game CJCH seemed to be compared to other law firms with regard to its approach to IP. The truth is that I didn’t even know the half of it at the time. The more I work in the IP profession, the more I realise how much there is to learn, but also how much there is to advise clients on.

What is the one key piece of advice you’d always give to clients about IP?

I think my one piece of advice would be to always be cautious with your intellectual property – protect it as early on as possible. In doing so, the key is to be proactive as well as reactive, and to anticipate any obstacles as far as possible.

What is the one misconception clients always have about IP?

The main misconception I’ve come across is clients thinking that IP can be protected at all costs. Particularly with the GDPR coming in, companies need to be aware of the repercussions this can have in trying to enforce its IP rights against individuals. This is why it is so important to protect intellectual property from the outset and handling any breach with care.

Do you think the IP profession is more inclusive in 2018?

As a newcomer to the field, I don’t know whether I can say IP is more inclusive in 2018. However, my experience so far has included working with very intelligent and strong women across all levels of management, including our Trainee Solicitor, Ana, and our Head of the Compliance and Enforcement team, Ania.

CJCH as a whole encourages a very inclusive environment, with Jacqui Seal as Senior Partner and Jodi Winter as Head of Department for Family and Children Law, just to name a few.

What IP services does CJCH offer?

CJCH Consulting includes our Anti-Piracy and Compliance department, which carries out research and compliance work for several clients, including Dassault Systèmes and Verosoft.

This work entails building cases against companies and other legal entities who breach our clients’ copyrighted IP, thus enforcing copyright laws across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Our team includes experts from various fields, and speaking over 20 languages across the department, all apply their diverse skills in order to combat IP crime for our clients.

Why do you think it is important to celebrate IP Day?

It’s important to celebrate IP Day to raise awareness. I think in a lot of people’s minds IP crime is still thought of as a tangible thing, such as pirated DVDs and fake Pravda handbags.

Although this is still a problem confronted by law enforcement around the world, increasingly, the majority of intellectual property, and breaches thereof, are taking place in the world of the intangibles.

This makes recognising what IP is, tracing where it goes and enforcing any IP rights more and more difficult.

The post World IP Day: Five questions with our female CJCH experts appeared first on CJCH Legal Compliance.

CJCH Consulting is a progressive and innovative company with Head offices the capital of Wales, Cardiff. An evolution from, and partner with, CJCH Solicitors, CJCH Consulting came to be in July 2017 after many successful years combating intellectual property (IP) crime and more recently being awarded a government grant from the Welsh Assembly to expand the digital IP protection and enforcement work already being delivered. Throughout 2017, CJCH Consulting closed major deals to represent major software companies, and on behalf of these clients brought legal cases against infringers on their intellectual property and commercial software.

CJCH Consulting has been in the headlines of Welsh and UK newspapers numerous times, perhaps most notably after recovering £20,000,000 for their clients through our Anti-Piracy and Compliance work. Given the efficient number of team members assigned to each case, the relative revenue generated is quite an achievement. Stephen Clarke is the CEO of the company, and one of those responsible for the firm’s exponential growth in the past year. I spoke to him about where the company began, where the company was heading, and how the company continued to stay ahead of the curve.

I first asked Stephen about the decisions behind making CJCH Consulting separate to CJCH Solicitors. The answer is relatively simple: Identity.

CJCH Consulting was conducting business as global company with international clients, whereas CJCH Solicitors was dedicated to being a local South Wales Law Firm with a commitment to their local clientele. The company did not want to put off loyal customers on the legal side of the business by losing their personable identity and becoming less approachable, but equally wanted to be seen as being able to compete in a global market. According to Stephen Clarke, CJCH Consulting is a physical representation of “the breadth of work we are doing and the services we have developed and can offer moving forward”; a service that very few companies can provide.

Stephen envisioned and nurtured the consultancy service and the Anti-Piracy and Compliance speciality which is one of the main driving forces behind the recent company’s growth. When asked about the future of the company and where it was headed, he stated that the company was looking to expand its client base by at least 50% in the next year. In addition, after consolidating the growth and success of past year, CJCH Consulting has hired a specialist contractor as a subject matter expert to “actively engage new clients and help pair their needs with bespoke solutions”. Historically, the company has always been approached by potential clients, and its reputation spread by word of mouth. The firm wants to continue to leverage on that positive reputation to continue to grow, evolve and dynamically adapt to the ever-changing needs of the market in the cyber and intellectual property industry.

Stephen was quoted as saying that “moving forwards, all businesses, not just in our field of work, are becoming more dependent on technology. In the industry we work in, technology is bound to be of assistance in the future and we see that it needs to be integrated with our personnel rather than replacing them.” The opportunity for the firm, then, is continuing to keep up with the times for the good of our clients, present and future, and the greater community without losing the service and personnel that make CJCH Consulting a valuable business partner.

The post CJCH Consulting: An identity appeared first on CJCH Legal Compliance.

Business across Europe and indeed the rest of the world are preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in readiness for its implementation on 25^th May 2018. It is safe to say that it is producing a feeling of unease for businesses, as many organisations have not been run with data protection as a primary consideration. A survey (of 1000 people reflective of the British Population) based on 2016 Annual Track by the Information Commissioner’s Office found that 79% of people did not trust businesses with their personal information.

Considering these figures, the GDPR is a positive evolution for data protection. The progression focus for companies should be to emphasise data protection from the outset and throughout their processes, learning to enhance their understanding and respect for individuals’ data protection rights. These enhanced rights under the GDPR challenge whether companies are aware of precisely what information has been captured, where it is stored, who it has been shared with and most importantly… can the entirety of this data be safely recalled and accounted for.

The proposed sanctions for non-compliance are high, with maximum fines being 4% of turnover or 20 million Euros, however, the ICO is only likely to issue these fines (proportionally) in certain scenarios. Overall it can be considered to be a positive development if they are encouraging more organisations to consider data protection as part of their DNA. Companies must accept that potential data security breaches are an inevitability, they should focus on data minimisation and have a structure in place to deal with them, rather than assuming the company is immune to those risks.

The United Kingdom is in a seemingly more precarious position than the rest of Europe; with Brexit looming and the difficulties in predicting how the GDPR will be applied once it is in force. The UK has the largest internet economy as a percentage of GDP out of all the G20 countries, so it must prioritise how it can keep European data safe, and encourage the EU to consider it a safe place for data transfers. The UK has recognised this by beginning to draft a new Data Protection Bill which mirrors the GDPR to a large extent. Its relevant authority, the ICO, is taking steps to get us up to speed with the legislation; providing information, blogs, webinars and tools to facilitate this. The National Cyber Security Centre is also publishing regular blogs and guidance, making it a relevant and viable resource for businesses; aiming to make the UK the safest place to live and do business online.
I would direct your attention to the following as a starting point:

An introduction and the twelve steps for preparing for the GDPR: https://ico.org.uk/media/1624219/preparing-for-the-gdpr-12-steps.pdf

A series of blogs from the ICO dealing with any myths surrounding the GDPR: https://iconewsblog.org.uk/tag/gdprmyths/

A Data protection self-assessment toolkit which allows businesses to analyse different areas and highlight what they are and aren’t doing well:
https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/resources-and-support/data-protection-self-assessment-toolkit/

The NCSC guide for Cyber Security for small business (SMEs): https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/cyber-security-small-business-guide

The post Data protection readiness, it’s a journey appeared first on CJCH Legal Compliance.

The conference focused on international intellectual property crime and was not only attended by law enforcement agencies, but also interested organisations seeking information and collaboration with global thought leaders on the monitoring and safeguarding of their intellectual property rights. Companies such as HP, Dolby, Pfizer and Levi Strauss were in attendance to discuss the challenges and threats to their industries due to counterfeiters and IP thieves.

The conference was a great success, with our representatives having this to say:

Stephen Rees: “This was a great opportunity to meet with the market leaders in their field, both legal and business, to discuss the issues and strategies for the coming years.  There was an excellent cross-flow of information and many valuable insights were gained.”

Tony Crampton: ‘This conference provides significant opportunities to the global effort in tackling IP Crime. The fact that key partners across Public and Commercial sectors attend, shows the importance of the contribution it makes. The speakers provided insight of intervention and enforcement strategies that are being deployed to protect IP rights around the world and examples where lessons were learnt or best practice identified. The ability to speak informally with Government representatives, Law Enforcement specialists and leading Commercial Brand’s investigators, enable CJCH to further develop its network and maintain confidence in our ability to deliver Client services which are effective and complement the wider initiatives being undertaken.”

For more information on the conference, and updates on future events, please see the event website here http://iipcic.org/conference.php

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Our CEO, Stephen Clarke, is currently on a far-east tour and has spent the last week in Shanghai, China, to get to know an affiliate firm more closely. Hanyuan Partners’, law firm based in Shanghai, Senior Partner, Zhenhao, has graciously hosted Stephen for his time there and been in discussions with him around future prospects.

Although our primary intention was aimed at furthering the relationship between our two firms and for us to share our extensive experience in international software anti-piracy research, we have also considered the option of new market penetration and support.

Through our experience in operating in various countries and with various cultures and jurisdictions, the team here in China believe a mutually beneficial partnership is possible, to link Chinese business with organisations and law firms in the EMEA region. Hanyuan Partners has already begun the ground work for facilitating these investment opportunities in Africa, as detailed in this article from China.org.cn.

Through our relationship with the firm, we now have the potential to support these initiatives and help open doors through our existing partnerships and relationships in the region.

Hanyuan Partners is a similar operation to CJCH, as it is a firm of around 100 staff with a large proportion of those being lawyers. Our host, Zhenhao, leads a department which focuses on Intellectual Property and enforcement, which accounts for around 35 of the firm’s total staff count. Similar to CJCH, they have an international element to their firm, and one of the team members hosting Stephen this week is a trainee lawyer who is retraining after having previously qualified as an accountant at St. Andrew’s University, and spending 15 years in Scotland before returning to China.

Stephen is to spend a few more days in China and is aiming to return in the near future along with some of the CJCH Consulting senior staff, to provide expert training in Intellectual Property Infringement research and License Compliance strategies from our own perspective. This cross-border knowledge sharing and collaboration aim to provide a more advanced service offering for all our clients and a collective growth of thought leadership in our industry.

Stephen Clarke noted that “ultimately we believe that a joint venture is a viable option for serving our international clients on a completely new level.”

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