Symons Intellectual Property

● THE SIP WAY

Intellectual property advice that is clear, practical, and built around you

Protecting and managing IP can feel complicated - but we strip away the noise by giving you straightforward, commercially focused advice and strategies that help you make informed, confident decisions.

Our aim is simple: to bridge the gap between smaller local practices and the global powerhouses. We place importance on delivering tailored, practical advice that fits budgets and business realities. We are the gatekeepers, not the fence-sitters - giving clients clear direction and realistic, actionable solutions.

We are a small team with vast experience, supported by a network that spans the GCC and beyond. We have worked both in-house and in private practice, guiding start-ups, global brands, and IP firms worldwide through every stage of trade mark, copyright, and design protection.

For many clients, we function as their IP hub - conducting and coordinating searches, filings, recordals, and enforcement across jurisdictions so they do not have to juggle multiple advisors or navigate conflicting approaches.

Whether you are filing one trade mark or managing a global portfolio, with SIP you will get consistency, clarity, and continuity.

● OUR FOCUS

01 / / Trade Marks01 / / Trade Marks01 / / Trade Marks01 / / Trade Marks01 / / Trade Marks01 / / Trade Marks

Brand Strategy

SMART PLANNING = STRONG BRANDS

A step often overlooked - sometimes with disastrous results. “Prevention is better than a cure” may be an old adage, but it could not be truer when it comes to brand creation.

It really does pay to think ahead:

Where will you trade?

How might your business grow over the next five years?

Whether you are a start-up focused on one market or already envisioning international expansion, careful attention to trade mark strategy can pay dividends later. It can also serve as a life jacket - ensuring you do not invest time and energy into a concept that already belongs to someone else. A successful business has IP-trade marks in particular - at its nucleus. It should be a Company’s most valuable asset, so it pays to nurture IP from the outset.

We will help you map the best route to your destination - advising where, when, and how to secure protection that is both commercially viable and aligned with your long-term growth. From local filings to global roll-outs, our goal is the same: to give you a strategy that protects your brand and supports your ambitions.

Due diligence

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

Few people buy a house without doing a survey – and the same logic applies when choosing a trading name. Your brand is your identity; it sets you apart from your competitors, builds goodwill, and becomes the beating heart of your business – the driver of commercial success. A pre-filing clearance search is not a formality; yet it is too often overlooked. Brand clearance should be the cornerstone of a sound trade mark strategy because it can steer you away from potential landmines. Skipping this step to save time or cost can have dire consequences later.

Our clearance searches assess the availability and strength of your proposed brand. We flag potential conflicts and explain - in clear, commercial terms - the risks and implications of proceeding. By helping you make an informed decision - whether to proceed, tweak, or pivot – we give your brand the best platform to succeed from day one. The Internet paints only half the picture: a brand may be registered (or pending) but not yet put to market. Do the ground work early to ensure a solid foundation.

Trade Mark Protection

REGISTRATION IS KING

When you have picked a brand you believe in - and crucially, know is available - the next step is to protect it. Your business deserves assurance and legal clarity, and registered rights are the building blocks of a sustainable brand. Relying on earlier use or reputation can make enforcement difficult, costly, and uncertain. In this region especially, some administrative avenues are simply not available without a registration. We are fully licensed to prosecute trade mark applications in the UAE and, through our long-established network of trusted partners, deliver centralised protection services across the GCC, wider MENA region, and beyond.

We are competitive, value-driven, and hands-on. No dial 1 to speak to an operator. No corner cutting. No hidden fees. Our experience - both in-house and in private practice - means we can guide you efficiently through the nuances of each jurisdiction and help you navigate oppositions, office actions, refusals, and procedural formalities. At the forefront of everything we do is your broader growth strategy - whether you are protecting a single trade mark in the UAE or coordinating a multinational portfolio.

02 / / Surveillance & brand protection02 / / Surveillance & brand protection02 / / Surveillance & brand protection02 / / Surveillance & brand protection02 / / Surveillance & brand protection02 / / Surveillance & brand protection

Eye on the prize

Any attempt to misuse, imitate, or encroach on your brand can be damaging - financially and otherwise - and may erode your rights over time. Staying vigilant, investigating issues early, and acting before damage sets in is the hallmark of strong brand management.

Watch & Monitor

Our surveillance services monitor official gazettes, online platforms, on-the-ground marketplaces, and social media to identify potentially conflicting trade marks and unauthorised use before they gain momentum.

Strategise

Should an issue arise, we provide a clear assessment and strategy - whether that means conducting investigations, gathering evidence, sending warning letters, filing oppositions, coordinating online takedowns or seizures, working with Customs, CID, or other administrative bodies, or advising on litigation options.

Act

We take a pragmatic and proportionate approach, focusing on what is commercially sensible and achievable. Our mission is always practical solutions - not inaccessible grand designs.

Through our network of GCC and MENA partners, we can act quickly across jurisdictions, giving you a single point of contact for all enforcement activity. Your brand is your identity - the product of years of nurturing and investment - and we help you keep it that way.

03 / / Copyright & Designs03 / / Copyright & Designs03 / / Copyright & Designs03 / / Copyright & Designs03 / / Copyright & Designs03 / / Copyright & Designs

Safeguarding Creativity and Protecting The Look that sells

Your visual and creative assets are what make your brand unique

Copyright protects the expression of an idea - not the idea itself - and it arises automatically the moment an original work is created, whether that is writing, art, design, software, or marketing material. In most countries, registration is not required for protection, but enforcement can be complex, unpredictable, and costly.

In some jurisdictions, registration or recordal helps cement evidence of ownership, making enforcement simpler and faster. We help clients confirm ownership, define authorship, and ensure they remain the rightful author of their stories.

Design

Industrial design protection covers the aesthetic features of your product - its shape, pattern, surface configuration, ornamentation, or visual finish. This is particularly valuable for consumer goods, packaging, digital designs, or distinctive brand elements. We guide clients through filing and protecting industrial designs locally and regionally, aligning protection with manufacturing, marketing, and commercial objectives.

Whether you are launching a new consumer product, packaging concept, or digital interface design, we help you secure the protection that matters most. Our team has experience handling design filings across the GCC, keeping your brand’s visual identity safe - from concept to market.

Clever design turns heads; solid protection keeps them turning.

● MEET US

Small but perfectly formed

We are a dynamic team with big-firm experience and none of the ego. Between us, we have spent decades helping brands navigate the quirks of IP protection across the GCC, MENA, and beyond.

We are women and mothers working in a traditionally male-dominated field. We take protection fiercely, get the job done, and do it efficiently.

KATE SYMONS

Principal Trade Mark,
Designs & Copyright Attorney

With over 20 years’ experience in IP across the UK, Australia, and the UAE, Kate has managed trade mark portfolios for everyone from start-ups finding their feet to multinationals with footprints in more than 100 countries.

Her career spans the full IP lifecycle - from clearance and filing to oppositions, enforcement, and recordals - across the GCC and wider MENA region. Having worked both in-house and in private practice, she blends legal precision with commercial realism.

Her style?
Direct, plain-English, and no-nonsense - no legal jargon, no waffle. Kate has a knack for cutting through the noise to find practical, strategic solutions that make sense for clients. Her practice covers trade marks, copyright, and industrial designs across the UAE, GCC, and beyond.

NATALIE WONG

Brand Protection &
Investigations Specialist

With more than 15 years’ international experience in investigations and brand protection, Natalie is the strategist you want in your corner.

Formerly the founder of Intel Edge and now part of SIP’s network, she has led cross-border investigations, enforcement programmes, and takedowns for some of the world’s best-known brands. Before that, she worked in-house in global brand protection, managing complex cases and coordinating with law enforcement across multiple jurisdictions.

Her style?
Calm, clever, and quietly relentless. Natalie brings sharp intelligence, an evidence-led mindset, and a pragmatic approach to every matter.

● BRANDS WE'VE WORKED WITH

● CONTACT US

say hello, don't be shy

SEND EMAIL NOW

Or call us directly at +971 52 890 3087

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ADVICE THAT IS CLEAR, PRACTICAL, AND BUILT AROUND YOU

Symons Intellectual Property

P01-02, Building 08 Bay Square
Business Bay, Dubai
United Arab Emirates

+971 52 890 3087
info@symonsip.com