SME News March 2017

24 SME NEWS / March 2017 , AWelsh lawfirmwith an international reputation for tackling Intellectual Property (IP) crime - is to establish a global IP anti-piracy HQ in Cardiff - creating 71 newhigh skilled jobs with support from theWelsh Government. Welsh Law Firm to Create 71 Jobs at New Global IP Anti-Piracy HQ in Cardiff CJCH Solicitors, formed in 2013 with the merger of the Vale of Glamorgan firm Colin Jones Solicitors and the Cardiff firm of Clarke & Hartland, already has a very successful Anti-Piracy and Compliance department working with several global blue chip clients. The expertise of this department will now form the core of the new business - CJCH Ltd – a global Intellectual Property legal services company headquartered in Cardiff. The investment is backed by £432,000 from the Welsh Government which helped secure this new business for Wales and will create 71 new jobs by 2020. Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: “IP piracy, which can range from copyright theft or infringement to counterfeit goods, is a growing global issue that can cause untold damage to businesses, to their protected and valued brands and to the economy. “It’s good news that CJCH Solicitors – a Welsh law firm – is already playing a key role in successfully tackling and preventing these crimes through the development, innovation and delivery of IP anti-piracy services and is now expanding and creating a new company in this specialist market. “I am delighted the Welsh Government is supporting this investment – we already have the UK Intellectual Property Office headquartered in Newport and this new development can only enhance Wales’ standing as a leading authority in IP as well as a centre of innovation in the business of law and cyber security.” He added the investment will create highly paid skilled jobs offering significant employment opportunities for law graduates as well as cyber security/forensic IT graduates. Stephen Clarke, senior partner, CJCH Solicitors, said: “The CJCH Team are proud to be associated with such a necessary development and excited to be partnering with the Welsh Government. “For some time now our team have concerned ourselves with the growing void in awareness and business readiness in relation to cyber security, intellectual property and data protection. We have made it our primary goal to work with our many partners, including institutions such as Swansea University, in narrowing this gap, specifically through the development of best practice and thought leadership in the Welsh and greater UK, community. “Cybercrime is not going to go away, rather it is going to evolve, getting more sophisticated, aggressive and invasive. It is our mission to stay ahead of online criminals and endeavour to protect the Intellectual Property of the global community.” CJCH Ltd has a blue-chip client base that includes multinational companies like French headquartered Dassault Systemes and AVEVA group plc. Its HQ in Columbus Walk will be a separate entity from the main legal practice, located on separate floors, with its own distinct identity and website. gov.wales