The hidden IP risks in your business

Explore common gaps and risks in regards to IP, particularly for early-stage and scaling businesses, and provide practical guidance on how to address them.

What you’ll learn

• Identify the most common ways intellectual property is unintentionally lost or weakened in day-to-day business operations.

• Understand the risks associated with poorly drafted or missing IP clauses in contracts, including supplier agreements and terms and conditions.

• Learn practical steps to secure ownership and control of IP across commercial relationships.

• Ensure that the right group structures are in place to protect and leverage IP across both new markets and sectors.

Description
Many businesses focus heavily on growth, investment, and scaling, but often overlook the legal and contractual foundations that underpin long-term success. Yet it is these fundamentals that can either support or undermine a business at critical moments.

In this session, we will explore the key legal considerations every growing business should have in place, from contracts and shareholder arrangements to investment readiness. The webinar will highlight common gaps and risks, particularly for early-stage and scaling businesses, and provide practical guidance on how to address them.

Designed for founders and business owners, this session will help you understand how to protect your interests, avoid unnecessary disputes, and build a structure that supports sustainable growth. Put simply, getting the legal framework right early gives you clarity, control, and confidence as your business evolves and new opportunities arise.

Speakers

Michaela Cusack
Director, National Business Register Group Limited

Michaela Cusack is a solicitor and Director at National Business Register Group Limited, specialising in intellectual property and brand protection. She works closely with SMEs to help them secure, manage, and commercially leverage their IP, including trade marks, designs, and contractual IP rights. Michaela advises growing businesses on how to avoid common IP pitfalls and build a strong foundation for long-term growth.

Emma Whitehouse
Legal Consultant, Self-employed

Emma is a commercial and corporate legal consultant with over 20 years’ experience, including senior in-house roles supporting infrastructure, engineering, and tech businesses. Now the founder of her own legal consultancy, she understands first-hand what business owners need – clear, practical, and approachable advice tailored to them. She supports NBR Group clients with matters such as contracts, shareholder arrangements, and investment matters, mentors early-stage founders via a tech accelerator programme and regularly speaks at workshops for start-up businesses.