The Bristol office of transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has provided its services pro-bono to a city-based charity that works to transform lives and the environment by broadening access to cycling.
WBD intellectual property (IP) team partner James Love helped Life Cycle register its brand assets with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). 
Associate Sally Cooper from the firm’s charities team then provided further assistance for a change of name, supporting Life Cycle’s move to drop ‘UK’ from its title.
The charity runs a series of initiatives, including a bike recycling scheme in partnership with HM Prisons.
Established in 2010, the scheme has won awards from the Prison Reform Trust and has been nominated at the National Lottery Awards.
James Love said: “When Life Cycle reached out to the Pro Bono Network for help, we immediately agreed to support them.
“The work the charity does in and around Bristol is vital to our community and the environment.
“We strongly believe that successful businesses have a responsibility to support their local communities and so we’re delighted to have been able to share our business skills and legal expertise to support Life Cycle.”
WBD partner and Bristol office head Fiona O’Kane said pro bono work was core to the firm’s responsible business philosophy and demonstrated its strong commitment to social inclusion and mobility through its relationship with local communities.
“I’m delighted we were able to provide Life Cycle with the advice needed to safeguard the future of their brand, which is integral to their fundraising efforts and community projects,” she added.
Life Cycle chief executive officer Ed Norton said Life Cycle relied on public goodwill to attract donations to support its work and the cost of professional fees had always been a blocker on resolving the brand issue.
“James and the team at Womble Bond Dickinson filed an application with the IPO on the charity’s behalf to trademark key components of our brand from commercial competition. We are immensely grateful for their support,” he said.
WBD employs more than 120 partners and around 450 lawyers providing legal expertise in 12 key sectors from across seven offices in the UK – Bristol being the second largest. It also has 23 bases in the US.
