Intellectual Property Protection for Inventions: Legal Advice for Seamus

Part A

Caroline, Siobhan & Seamus have been lifelong friends. They have always ensured, come what may, to meet up every week for dinner, a chat or a drink. Caroline is in Finance; Siobhan is in HR and Seamus is a teacher and part time inventor.

Over lunch one afternoon, Seamus tells his two friends of an idea he has to formulate some of his inventions and put them into PDF form. When Caroline hears of this idea from Seamus, it gets her thinking and a distant thought in her mind of Intellectual Property. She suggests that Seamus should get his inventions and his thoughts legally protected.

At the next table Kevin, a career entrepreneur, overhears this conversation and approaches Seamus later that day. He suggests to Seamus that he could get Seamus the protection he needs for the work he has carried out.

Seamus, being sensible, tells Kevin that he will need to think about his proposal and comes to you for advice:
Advise Seamus on what area of Intellectual Property Law will protect his inventions, and what he needs to do to get that protection and what that protection consists of. He also wants to know if he is to record some of his ideas, which he thinks are quite novel, will Intellectual

Property Law protects him as he believes that these plans could be economically exploited. Advise Seamus on the area of Intellectual Property Law you believe will protect him in this instance and generally advise on the parameters of its protections. Kevin has casually said to Seamus that for his help, he will need to assign him the rights, but it is really nothing to worry about. Advise Seamus on this concern.

Please use relevant statute and case law in your answer.