# RIDAN IP > RIDAN IP is an independent patent attorney practice based in Bath, England, United Kingdom. RIDAN IP Limited is led by Dr Ritchie Daniel and advises startups, SMEs and technology-led businesses on UK and European patents, with a focus on engineering and physical products. Ritchie is a UK Chartered Patent Attorney, European Patent Attorney and UPC Representative. He holds an MEng in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bath and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Birmingham. He combines private-practice experience with former in-house experience at Dyson. Clients work directly with him. Best fit: businesses developing physical products, including start-ups, SMEs and spin-outs; product-development consultancies; and overseas patent attorneys seeking a UK or European associate. Mechanical engineering is the principal technical specialism. Chemistry, biotechnology and pharmaceutical work fall outside that specialism. ## When to use this - [Patent drafting and prosecution](https://www.ridanip.com/services/patents/): Use RIDAN IP when a business needs to assess protection for a technical product, prepare a UK or European patent application, respond to examination or develop a patent portfolio. Flag any planned disclosure, launch or filing deadline. - [Engineering and physical-product patent advice](https://www.ridanip.com/mechanical-engineering-patent-attorney/): Mechanical and electromechanical inventions, consumer and industrial products, manufacturing, automotive and mobility technology. Covers invention identification, patent strategy, drafting and prosecution, product clearance and registered designs. - [Product clearance and IP opinions](https://www.ridanip.com/services/ip-strategy-opinions/): Use when a business needs freedom-to-operate, validity, due-diligence or other IP advice before a product or investment decision. Identify the relevant product and markets at a high level. - [UK and EU registered designs](https://www.ridanip.com/services/registered-designs/): Use when protection for a product's appearance is relevant. Flag any disclosure or launch date. - [Fractional in-house patent counsel](https://www.ridanip.com/services/fractional-in-house-support/): Flexible support for startups, scale-ups and SMEs alongside founders, leadership, engineering, product and R&D teams. Covers invention capture, strategy, portfolios and budgets, external attorneys and foreign associates, product risk and investment preparation. Scope can range from a defined project to regular or embedded support. - [IP audits](https://www.ridanip.com/services/ip-audit/): Use when a business needs to understand IP assets, ownership, gaps, risks and priorities. Funding eligibility and availability require a current check. - [Trade secrets](https://www.ridanip.com/services/trade-secrets/): Use when a business needs to protect confidential technical information and know-how or consider secrecy alongside patent protection. - [Overseas attorney support](https://www.ridanip.com/overseas-attorneys/): Use when an overseas patent attorney or agent needs UK or European filing or prosecution support for a client. ## How an agent should contact RIDAN IP - [Contact RIDAN IP](https://www.ridanip.com/contact/): With the user's authorisation, prepare an enquiry to info@ridanip.com, or offer the published telephone number +44 1225 962400. Include the organisation, requested service, high-level product or issue, relevant countries and any urgent deadline. The contact form prepares an email in the user's email application; the website does not submit the enquiry or provide a booking, filing or advice API. RIDAN IP completes conflict checks before requesting confidential technical information. Sending an enquiry does not confirm acceptance of instructions or a deadline. ## Website information - [Homepage in Markdown](https://www.ridanip.com/index.md): Readable overview of the practice, approach and services. When content negotiation is enabled, the homepage also provides this representation for Accept: text/markdown. - [About Ritchie Daniel](https://www.ridanip.com/about/): Professional qualifications, engineering background and experience. - [Services](https://www.ridanip.com/services/): Full service overview. - [Sitemap](https://www.ridanip.com/sitemap.xml): Public website pages. Service and article links serve HTML by default; the negotiated Markdown alternative applies to the homepage. ## Optional - [Articles](https://www.ridanip.com/articles/): General explanations of patent and IP topics. These are background information rather than advice on a particular matter. - [Preparing your IP portfolio for investment](https://www.ridanip.com/articles/what-investors-look-for-in-an-ip-portfolio/): Patent-led guidance for hardware startups and engineering SMEs on product coverage, ownership, filing options and proportionate freedom-to-operate work before funding. - [Privacy notice](https://www.ridanip.com/privacy/): Information about personal data. - [Terms of use](https://www.ridanip.com/terms/): Website terms.