Noel Akers

Noel Akers is one of Europe's leading practitioners of intellectual property (IP) law, representing clients in patent, trademark and design issues in both the UK and the EU. For a number of years he was a partner at one of the world's most respected international IP firms, acting for major companies in several different countries. Noel set up his own legal business in 2004, and in April 2005 he relocated from Hertfordshire to premises at Cubert, near Newquay.

Some might see this as a surprising move for a professional at the top of his game, but from Noel's point of view it made a lot of sense. “I've had a house down here for a few years, and I'd found I was quite able to bring work down with me. With a fast, reliable Internet connection it didn't really make any difference to my clients.”

Another factor was the decentralisation of the UK patent and trademark system, and the growing importance of EU law. Combined with the fact that trademark and patent offices have been moving rapidly towards electronic filing, this means that geographical proximity to legal institutions simply isn't necessary any more. “Also, we're in a competitive market and clients are highly conscious of costs,” Noel points out. “The days when people were happy to write a blank cheque for handling a patent portfolio are long gone. By situating the business in an area where overheads are lower, we're able to provide a much more cost-effective service without sacrificing quality.”

Just as importantly, Noel had noticed that Cornwall itself was changing in ways that made it an increasingly attractive base for an intellectual property firm. “There's certainly no shortage of innovation and good ideas down here,” he says, “Particularly with developments like the Combined Universities in Cornwall and the Knowledge Spa, and the business incubation work they're doing. What we're seeing now is how supportive infrastructure can make a big difference in getting new ideas off the ground. And innovative ideas need to be properly protected – which is where our kind of expertise comes in.”