ACID’S CHIEF COUNSEL NICK KOUNOUPIAS IS THE JOINT 2021 BRITISH IP DAY CHAMPION!

After more than 3 decades being immersed in the world of intellectual property and as the joint architect of two major breakthrough changes in IP law, we are delighted to announce that Nick Kounoupias, ACID’s Chief Counsel and IP Director has been recognised by the Alliance for Intellectual Property as the Joint 2021 BRITISH IP CHAMPION.  He shares the accolade with Geoff Taylor, CEO of the BPI. The BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) Ltd is the British recorded music industry’s trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, The Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with the Entertainment Retailers Association, and awards UK music sales through the BRIT Certified Awards. Geoff’s recent work within the Creative Industries Council as Chairman of the IP Group has been impressive and he, is spearheading what is hoped to be the first Codes of Conduct between online platforms and social media and the Creative Industries which will be a leap forward in respect, compliance and ethics for IP creators. The BPI are members of the Alliance for IP.

Nick’s impressive life in the public affairs side of IP really started when, in the late nineties, there was no coordinated approach to intellectual property sector groups, so Nick, along with two others, one of whom was Lavinia Carey the Alliance’s Honorary President, set up what was then the Alliance for Counterfeiting & Piracy. This involved key sectors within the Creative Industries uniting as one voice and so the Alliance was born (it latterly changed its name to the Alliance for Intellectual Property).

In 2002 Nick helped draft the Copyright and Trade Mark (Offences and Enforcement) Act 2002 via a Private Members’ Bill (which he drafted) which increased the prison sentence from 2-10 years for copyright infringement.

Around 2004, the IPO wanted to create a UK IP Crime group and Nick was one of the driving forces to make this happen.  The UK IP Crime Group is a membership of representatives from private sector, enforcement agencies and government departments who have a role in tackling IP crime and infringement in the UK.

In 2014 Nick was a key driver in the campaign which led to the intentional infringement of a registered design as a crime in the 2014 IP Act, thus strengthening design law.

Dids Macdonald, OBE and CEO of ACID said, “Nothing could make me more proud that Nick’s work has been rewarded in this way. He is a true IP Champion in every sense. UK designers are very fortunate to have him battling on their sides for much needed design law reform”.

Nick Kounoupias, ACID’s Chief Counsel and IP Director said, “ IP has been my passion since the early 1980s when I was taught it by the wonderful Professor Jeremy Phillips. Since then, I have been honoured to have been entrusted by designers, songwriters, authors, brand owners, inventors and many others to protect their IP children. And along this journey I have met many others who have been equally passionate about protecting IP, none more so than ACID’s CEO Dids Macdonald. It is truly humbling to receive an award for doing what I love from my peers. Thank you to the Alliance for this award. I will treasure it.”