AN iconic lava lamp maker is being protected from copycats by a North-East law firm.

Mathmos has appointed McDaniel and Co to provide advice and protect its intellectual property (IP).

The company was founded in 1963 by Edward Craven Walker, who was inspired by a design for an egg timer in a Dorset pub.

After his an wife Christine’s retirement in 1992, new owners Cressida Granger and David Mulley introduced the lava lamp to a new generation, selling millions around the world.

Niall Head-Rapson, who heads the Newcastle-based law firm with wife Rozanna, said: “I'm delighted Mathmos has chosen to appoint us to manage its IP portfolio.

“It reflects the growing stature of our dedicated team and the fact that we are well known for providing a cost effective alternative without compromising on the experience and expertise required to operate at this level in this area of law.”

Ms Granger, Mathmos’ managing director, added: “As an established brand which creates iconic products, some of which have been around for a number years, protecting our IP is extremely important to us and the ongoing success of the company.

“When it came to appointing a law firm to act on our behalf I had no hesitation in choosing Niall to represent us.

“He has a growing reputation and is well known for his successful outcomes when handling IP cases.”

McDaniel and Co has received widespread acclaim for its IP work, including design copyright, design infringement, registering designs across Europe and securing registered trademarks.

Last year, the company worked with greetings card and gift designer Caroline Gardner, party accessory specialist Talking Tables and luggage designer Picture Case to protect their designs from being copied.

In the case of Ms Gardner, the card designer was alerted to the fact that Goldbach, a German company, was selling copies of some of her designs at an international trade fair in Frankfurt, as well as advertising the designs on its website.