IP counsel and consulting

The job of an IP counsel or consultant is to help a person or business manage their IP. Often, large businesses will have one or more in-house counsel, non-practicing attorneys who have specialised in forms of IP most relevant to that businesses' operations. A company which produces and sells seeds and seedlings, for instance, might employ an IP in-house counsel who has a background in Plant Breeders' Rights, as specialised form of IP.

Individuals and smaller businesses, on the other hand, may lack the resources to hire an experienced attorney full-time to provide in-house counsel services. They may instead contract the services of a specialist IP law firm, or else hire an independent IP consultant.