Propeller Mobile has created an app for European patent and trade mark attorneys Venner Shipley. The app, dubbed the IP Tool Kit, aims to give users information on intellectual property on their iPhone. 

According to Venner Shipley, it is the first iPhone application to allows users to search patent, trade mark, and design databases. It also features other reference material from the IP sector,  such as official fees, up-to-date IP news items, and a patent deadline calculator. 

The IP Tool Kit is designed to be a simple pocket app for inventors, people who manage patent or trade mark portfolios, or attorneys working in the field of intellectual property. It also allows users to contact Venner Shipley easily and quickly to get legal advice.

Martin Loat, CEO of Propeller Mobile says: “A decade or more ago there was a rush for every business to have its own website. Now we are seeing a similar rush to mobile, as even B2B businesses join the mobile revolution. More firms now understand that if your customers are busy executives who spend time on the move, you need a mobile communications proposition to reach them. It is now easy to get your own app running on various platforms in a matter of weeks and we have recently seen a surge in interest in apps from professional firms.”

Venner Shipleys portfolio of clients includes some of the worlds largest technology corporations. James Bradshaw, head of marketing and business development for Venner Shipley says: “While the development of apps is still something of a novelty among professional service firms, we at Venner Shipley are certainly not averse to trying out new means of communication, interaction, and service delivery.” 

The company recognised that more of its clients are using mobile devices during their day-to-day activities, says Bradshaw. “Our iPhone app was seen as a natural progression from the more traditional means of interacting with them,” he says.