Nick Kounoupias (CEO)
Nick Kounoupias is a UK solicitor with over 37 years experience and is one of the best-known names in the international IP world. In 2021 Nick was voted UK IP Champion. He has practised across all the IP sectors since 1986 both in private practice and in house and during that time developed a formidable international reputation for his depth of IP knowledge and diverse strengths. Nick has set up Kounoupias IP to provide guidance on IP issues outside of the field of traditional legal services.
Nick is passionate about protecting intellectual property rights and is regularly instructed from all over the world to provide strategic guidance and support on IP issues to UK and international IP businesses, those involved in the creative industries, academic institutions, law enforcement and government agencies. Nick is also a fully accredited mediator and has conducted several mediations in the IP arena.
Nick is one of the UK’s leading experts in anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting and possesses extensive experience of managing and conducting investigations in the IP sector and in particular is considered to have pioneered the use of private prosecutions of copyright infringers for the music industry.
Nick is in particular demand for his thought leadership on IP issues and regularly contributes to IP journals, books and regularly provides professional training on IP at seminars and webinars. Nick helped draft the Copyright and Trade Mark (Offences and Enforcement) Act 2002 and the IP Act 2014 and has for many years successfully lobbied all over Europe on behalf of diverse industries for changes to copyright, trade mark and designs laws. Nick led the successful campaign on behalf of UK designers to recognise the copying of registered designs as a criminal offence. In recognition of his contribution to the design industries Nick was appointed a Liveryman of the Worshipful Guild of Furniture Makers (www.furnituremakers.org.uk) and a Freeman of the City of London.
Nick is regularly instructed by clients to monitor and advise on proposed changes to the UK and EU IP laws.
Nick is currently a Non-Executive Director of Technology Minerals Plc, Asian Trade Publications Ltd, and Anti-Copying in Design (ACID). www.acid.uk.com
Nick has held many senior industry appointments; Nick was a founder and Vice Chairman of the Alliance for IP (AFIP – www.allianceforip.co.uk), a Board Director of the Federation against Software Theft (FAST – www.fast.org), Chief Legal Counsel to Anti-Copying in Design (“ACID” – www.acid.uk.com) and its representative at the legal group meetings of the AFIP (www.allianceforip.co.uk) and the IP Crime Group, director of the Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG – www.a-cg.org), and former Chair of its enforcement sub-committee, a founder and a former executive director of the cross-industry Copyright Hotline, and Chairman of the anti-piracy committee of the international music collecting society association BIEM (www.biem.org).
- www.ipo.gov.uk
- www.allianceforip.co.uk
- www.a-cg.org
- www.fast.org
- www.furnituremakers.org.uk
- www.fdpa.co.uk
- www.biem.org
- www.cisac.org
- www.wipo.int
- https://ipkitten.blogspot.co.uk
Marion Horwood (IP Consultant)
Marion is an IP consultant with particular expertise in music licensing matters having gained over 40 years of music copyright experience working within the in-house legal department of the Performing Right Society. Marion also leads our music royalty tracking team.
Marion has extensive experience of managing numerous music copyright infringement cases in the High Court Chancery Division and within the County Court, one of which resulted in a record damages multiplier award under s97 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 for flagrant infringement (see PRS Ltd v Alexander Burns and William Burns [2012] EWHC 221 (Ch)).
Marion was also nominated for the 2018 Music Week’s Women in Music Roll of Honour.
Also experienced in designs law and practice, Marion is the Head of Membership & Business Development at Anti Copying In Design (ACID – www.acid.uk.com).
Our insight and experience
We understand better than anyone the economic and strategic value of IP and we can help you identify, protect and monetise this value.
We offer a wide range of services and will use our expertise to deliver a comprehensive IP Insight Review, develop commercial IP strategies and to organise and manage investigations or litigation where appropriate.
We also maintain an extensive network of trusted affiliates so that we can provide exactly the right service for your business, wherever you do business.
Our promises to you
We are a values based company widely respected for our strong ethical business dealings and a can-do ethos and we make 4 promises to all our clients:
- We will offer you high quality and tailored guidance at sensible prices.
- We will take the trouble to understand your needs, business and industry as your success matters to us.
- We will provide you with personal attention and great customer service at all times.
- We keep our overheads low so you pay for our insight and expertise and not our costs.
Our expertise
KIP is lead by our founder and CEO Nick Kounoupias, one of the best-known names in the international IP world.
Nick has practised across all the IP sectors since 1986 both in private legal practice and in-house, developing a formidable reputation for his depth of IP knowledge. Nick believes IP is a business issue, not a legal issue, and has set up Kounoupias IP to provide guidance on IP issues that fall outside of the field of traditional legal services.
Nick is passionate about protecting intellectual property rights and is regularly instructed from all over the world to provide strategic guidance on IP to UK and international businesses, such as those involved in the creative industries, education and government agencies. He is also one of the UK’s leading experts in anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting and possesses extensive experience of managing and conducting IP investigations. He is also an accredited mediator.
Nick is in particular demand for his thought leadership on IP issues and regularly contributes to IP journals, books and speaks on IP at seminars and conferences.