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  • Trade Marks
UK government confirms UK will maintain UK+ exhaustion regime
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - May 29, 2025

UK government confirms UK will maintain UK+ exhaustion regime

In June 2021, the UK government launched a public consultation on the UK’s future exhaustion of ...

Emerging Metaverse Guidance and Case Law from the Courts
Claire Evans - May 7, 2025

Emerging Metaverse Guidance and Case Law from the Courts

Luxury fashion brand owners, such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Balenciaga, were among the first to ...

Navigating Trade Mark Protection in the Metaverse
Claire Evans - April 30, 2025

Navigating Trade Mark Protection in the Metaverse

As the digital landscape evolves, so too does the world of IP. One of the most significant and ...

The Importance of Trade Mark Protection in the Metaverse
Claire Evans - April 23, 2025

The Importance of Trade Mark Protection in the Metaverse

The metaverse is a 3-D enabled digital space that relies on technologies such as virtual reality ...

Seeing Red (and White): EU General Court rejects Lotus Bakeries’ attempt to register its colour combination mark
Claire Evans - April 11, 2025

Seeing Red (and White): EU General Court rejects Lotus Bakeries’ attempt to register its colour combination mark

On 26 March 2025, the General Court (GC) issued its judgement in Lotus Bakeries v European ...

UK IPO support for SMEs
Kate O'Rourke - February 25, 2025

UK IPO support for SMEs

The UK Intellectual Property Office will now contribute funding of up to £5,000 (inclusive of VAT) ...

Abbott’s CGM shape trade mark found invalid by high court
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - February 21, 2025

Abbott’s CGM shape trade mark found invalid by high court

On 7 February 2025, the High Court of England and Wales issued a decision in Abbott v Sinocare ...

WTR 1000 - The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals 2025
Joanna Smith - February 6, 2025

WTR 1000 - The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals 2025

We are delighted be ranked Silver for prosecution and strategy in WTR 1000 – The World’s Leading ...

A Bitter Trade Mark Dispute: Thatchers Cider v Aldi
Claire Evans - January 30, 2025

A Bitter Trade Mark Dispute: Thatchers Cider v Aldi

On 20 January 2025, the Court of Appeal of England and Wales handed down its much-anticipated ...

Pharma trade marks: 2024 EU case law round up
Emily Sullivan - January 22, 2025

Pharma trade marks: 2024 EU case law round up

The pharmaceutical industry continues to face evolving challenges in trade mark law. 2024 brought ...

Pharma trade marks: 2024 UK case law round up
Karolina Fryzlewicz - January 22, 2025

Pharma trade marks: 2024 UK case law round up

In 2024 UK courts issued new guidance that is particularly relevant to brand owners in the ...

Veganuary: can you reference the animal counterpart in the branding of your vegan product?
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - January 13, 2025

Veganuary: can you reference the animal counterpart in the branding of your vegan product?

From This Isn't Bacon Plant-Based Rashers, to Violife Smoky Cheddar Flavour Slices, a quick glance ...

Trade Mark Infringement in the Second-Hand Market - AGA v UK Innovations
Jamie Emerick - January 8, 2025

Trade Mark Infringement in the Second-Hand Market - AGA v UK Innovations

In July 2024, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) handed down their decision in AGA ...

Canadian Trade Mark Registrations to be Randomly Selected to Prove Use
Andy King - January 2, 2025

Canadian Trade Mark Registrations to be Randomly Selected to Prove Use

Owners of trade marks registered in Canada should be aware of new initiative that could require ...

Court of Appeal overturns decision in POST MILK GENERATION
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - December 17, 2024

Court of Appeal overturns decision in POST MILK GENERATION

The primary issue in this case is whether use of the word milk in the mark POST MILK GENERATION for ...

Bad Faith or Business Strategy? Sky vs. SkyKick Sets a Precedent
Andy King - November 27, 2024

Bad Faith or Business Strategy? Sky vs. SkyKick Sets a Precedent

The long running saga of the battle between Sky Ltd (“Sky”) and SkyKick UK Ltd (“SkyKick”) is ...

Cipla Europe NV v Glaxo Group Ltd: can a 3D trade mark be distinctive?
Emily Sullivan - August 14, 2024

Cipla Europe NV v Glaxo Group Ltd: can a 3D trade mark be distinctive?

Trade mark proceedings can often feel like never-ending stories. In this case, Glaxo Group Ltd. ...

Update on Trade Mark Protection in Jersey, Guernsey, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man
Claire Evans - June 26, 2024

Update on Trade Mark Protection in Jersey, Guernsey, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man

Some countries allow trade mark owners to extend their UK and EU trade mark protection into other ...

Our clients are at the heart of our Trade Mark business
Joanna Smith - May 1, 2024

Our clients are at the heart of our Trade Mark business

We are delighted to release our latest brochure 'Our clients are at the heart of our Trade Mark ...

Navigating the Sonic Maze: overcoming the challenges with registering sound marks in the UK
Andy King - March 8, 2024

Navigating the Sonic Maze: overcoming the challenges with registering sound marks in the UK

In an increasingly crowded market, businesses are recognising the value of sound marks (or ‘sonic ...

High Court confirms EU law does not prohibit use of ‘milk’ in a trade mark for milk substitutes in the UK
Jamie Emerick - January 24, 2024

High Court confirms EU law does not prohibit use of ‘milk’ in a trade mark for milk substitutes in the UK

Last year, in December 2023, the Chancery Division of the High Court handed down its decision on ...

Pharma trade marks: 2023 EU case law round up
Emily Sullivan - January 9, 2024

Pharma trade marks: 2023 EU case law round up

As we enter 2024, we reflect on the lessons we have learned in 2023. The trade mark landscape has ...

IP Protection for software-based products- An Introduction for SMEs
James Leach - November 16, 2023

IP Protection for software-based products- An Introduction for SMEs

We are excited to launch our new software resource booklet — 'IP Protection for software-based ...

EU General Court provides guidance on consumer perception in the pharmaceutical industry
Jamie Emerick - November 15, 2023

EU General Court provides guidance on consumer perception in the pharmaceutical industry

Earlier this year, in March 2023, the European Union’s General Court provided some useful ...

Chartered Trade Mark Attorneys – your key business ally
Kate O'Rourke - October 5, 2023

Chartered Trade Mark Attorneys – your key business ally

In the past few years there has been an upsurge in the number of unqualified and unregulated ...

A badge of green credentials
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - September 7, 2023

A badge of green credentials

With consumers increasingly choosing brands that are more environmentally friendly, we have seen a ...

Meet The Team: Kirsty Morris, IP Support Services, Patent Administrator
Kirsty Morris - September 7, 2023

Meet The Team: Kirsty Morris, IP Support Services, Patent Administrator

As part of our 'meet the team' series, we talk to patent administrator, Kirsty Morris about her ...

Building an international Customs strategy for your pharma brand
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - September 1, 2023

Building an international Customs strategy for your pharma brand

Counterfeit pharmaceuticals are a global problem and pose a significant threat to consumers and ...

Understanding parallel import of pharmaceuticals in the EU – a quick guide to repackaging and relabelling of parallel imports for brand owners
Emily Sullivan - August 31, 2023

Understanding parallel import of pharmaceuticals in the EU – a quick guide to repackaging and relabelling of parallel imports for brand owners

Parallel importing, the practice where third parties import branded goods already put on sale by ...

Meet The Team: Maria Hall, Business Services, Chief M&BD Officer, Community Champion
Maria Hall - August 29, 2023

Meet The Team: Maria Hall, Business Services, Chief M&BD Officer, Community Champion

As part of our 'meet the team' series, we talk to chief marketing and business development officer ...

Strategic Pharmaceutical Branding: when should you apply to register a trade mark if still undergoing clinical trials?
Karolina Fryzlewicz - August 25, 2023

Strategic Pharmaceutical Branding: when should you apply to register a trade mark if still undergoing clinical trials?

Tying trade mark considerations into your drug development strategy can be a rather challenging ...

Court of Appeal confirms filing a trade mark cancellation action does not ‘stop the clock’ on acquiescence
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - August 4, 2023

Court of Appeal confirms filing a trade mark cancellation action does not ‘stop the clock’ on acquiescence

In our “Pharma trade marks: 2022 case law round up” (written towards the end of November 2022) we ...

Meet The Team: Clare James, Business Services, Executive Assistant
Clare James - August 2, 2023

Meet The Team: Clare James, Business Services, Executive Assistant

As part of our 'meet the team' series, we talk to Clare James, EA to the Mewburn Ellis management ...

How to mobilize your IP rights in the fight against counterfeit goods: Customs Application for Action
Karolina Fryzlewicz - July 19, 2023

How to mobilize your IP rights in the fight against counterfeit goods: Customs Application for Action

‘Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’ is a motto that does not fare well with intellectual ...

Protecting yourself against IP scammers
Karolina Fryzlewicz - July 4, 2023

Protecting yourself against IP scammers

Scamming practices, such as misleading invoices and spoofed phone calls, are unfortunately a part ...

Katy Perry v Katie Perry: Use of famous personalities’ names in commerce
Karolina Fryzlewicz - June 8, 2023

Katy Perry v Katie Perry: Use of famous personalities’ names in commerce

Brand owners who build brands under their own name unsurprisingly attach great importance to how ...

EUIPO vs “EMMENTALER”
Emily Sullivan - June 2, 2023

EUIPO vs “EMMENTALER”

Trade mark courts worldwide spend a good deal of time deciding what trade marks cheese ...

Meet The Team: Rebecca Anderson-Smith, Partner, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - May 25, 2023

Meet The Team: Rebecca Anderson-Smith, Partner, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney

As part of our 'meet the team' series, we talk to partner, Rebecca Anderson-Smith about how she set ...

Meet The Team: Andy King, Head of Trade Marks, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney
Andy King - May 22, 2023

Meet The Team: Andy King, Head of Trade Marks, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney

As part of our 'meet the team' series, we talk to partner and Head of Trade Marks Andy King about ...

Percy Pig ice cream renamed after M&S request
Andy King - May 15, 2023

Percy Pig ice cream renamed after M&S request

A small family-run ice cream parlour based in Hertfordshire has recently renamed its 'Perky Pig ...

Meet The Team: Kate O'Rourke, Partner, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney
Kate O'Rourke - May 11, 2023

Meet The Team: Kate O'Rourke, Partner, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney

As part of our 'meet the team' series, we talk to Chartered Trade Mark Attorney, Kate O’Rourke ...

Meet The Team: Jacqueline Pang, Partner, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney
Jacqueline Pang - May 4, 2023

Meet The Team: Jacqueline Pang, Partner, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney

As part of our 'meet the team' series, we talked to Jacqueline Pang about ChatGPT, the use of trade ...

Meet The Team: Jan Rether, Partner, Attorney at Law
Jan Rether - May 2, 2023

Meet The Team: Jan Rether, Partner, Attorney at Law

As part of our 'meet the team' series, we talked to Jan Rether, partner in the Munich office, about ...

Fail to Prepare; Prepare to Fail: a discussion about representation issues at the UK IPO
Andy King - April 28, 2023

Fail to Prepare; Prepare to Fail: a discussion about representation issues at the UK IPO

The UK IPO has recently introduced an important change to the rules on representation of certain ...

High Court finds Tesco Clubcard Prices logo infringes Lidl’s trade mark
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - April 20, 2023

High Court finds Tesco Clubcard Prices logo infringes Lidl’s trade mark

The High Court of England and Wales yesterday (19 April 2023) held that Tesco has been infringing ...

When dragons come to court: why a children book’s author lost a case of copyright infringement against John Lewis
Karolina Fryzlewicz - April 5, 2023

When dragons come to court: why a children book’s author lost a case of copyright infringement against John Lewis

“The dragon is a creature of myth, dating back to ancient times and found in cultures across the ...

Can parallel importers apply registered trade marks to previously unbranded products?
Joe McAlary - March 28, 2023

Can parallel importers apply registered trade marks to previously unbranded products?

Towards the back end of last year, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) gave a series ...

Spot the difference: where UK and German laws go astray
Emily Sullivan - March 24, 2023

Spot the difference: where UK and German laws go astray

Despite the harmonisation of trade mark law in Europe over the past decades, significant ...

Curing pharmaceutical trade mark deficiencies: EU guidance on “food supplements” and “pharmaceutical products” in Hasco TM v EUIPO
Karolina Fryzlewicz - February 6, 2023

Curing pharmaceutical trade mark deficiencies: EU guidance on “food supplements” and “pharmaceutical products” in Hasco TM v EUIPO

Making genuine use of trade marks after registration is of fundamental importance to avoid the ...

Form TM7 & TM7A — discrepancies between threatened and actual opponents at the UKIPO
Andy King - January 9, 2023

Form TM7 & TM7A — discrepancies between threatened and actual opponents at the UKIPO

Publication of a UK trade mark application, following examination and acceptance by the UK IPO, ...

Pharma trade marks: 2022 case law round up
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - December 2, 2022

Pharma trade marks: 2022 case law round up

As we enter December, and the year draws to a close, many trade mark practitioners and brand owners ...

Parallel imports of repackaged pharmaceutical products - clarification from recent CJEU rulings
Joe McAlary - December 2, 2022

Parallel imports of repackaged pharmaceutical products - clarification from recent CJEU rulings

Recent case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has clarified how the ...

Pharma Trade Marks: Exhaustion and Parallel Trade in the UK - Special Report 2022
Jacqueline Murphy - November 21, 2022

Pharma Trade Marks: Exhaustion and Parallel Trade in the UK - Special Report 2022

We are excited to announce the release of our latest special report Pharma Trade Marks: Exhaustion ...

Pattern trade marks: cross-stitch your way to trade mark registration success
Karolina Fryzlewicz - August 25, 2022

Pattern trade marks: cross-stitch your way to trade mark registration success

We live in a world filled with patterns. The natural world reveals to us many patterned ...

Consequences of Brexit on trademarks and designs
Kate O'Rourke - August 11, 2022

Consequences of Brexit on trademarks and designs

Just over six years ago, the United Kingdom voted to exit the European Union. With most of the ...

Owning your IP: managing early brand risks for start-ups and SMEs
Karolina Fryzlewicz - June 7, 2022

Owning your IP: managing early brand risks for start-ups and SMEs

A start-up or a small or medium sized enterprise (SME) is like a newly planted tree in the ...

Plant-based brands: what does it take to break through?
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - May 26, 2022

Plant-based brands: what does it take to break through?

We investigate what it takes to stand out in an increasingly crowded retail space.

Strategy: token efforts
Karolina Fryzlewicz - May 16, 2022

Strategy: token efforts

Despite being in circulation since 2014, non‑fungible tokens (NFTs) experienced a meteoric rise in ...

A crossroad of IP rights: registering artistic works as trade marks
Karolina Fryzlewicz - April 20, 2022

A crossroad of IP rights: registering artistic works as trade marks

In a dynamically growing artistic world artists are seeking to maximise protection of their ...

IP GUIdance - graphical user interface design rights
Urs Ferber - March 2, 2022

IP GUIdance - graphical user interface design rights

While patents protect the technical aspects of products, registered design rights can be used to ...

COVID pandemic sparks significant increase in domain name disputes
Andy King - March 2, 2022

COVID pandemic sparks significant increase in domain name disputes

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has recently published updated statistics on ...

Protecting film, music and game titles in Germany - 10 key questions answered
Emily Sullivan - February 28, 2022

Protecting film, music and game titles in Germany - 10 key questions answered

Time and again, clients from the media, entertainment and, in particular, gaming sector approach us ...

Registering personal names as trade marks: steps to consider before naming a fashion brand after yourself
Karolina Fryzlewicz - February 24, 2022

Registering personal names as trade marks: steps to consider before naming a fashion brand after yourself

Brands which include personal names – the so-called eponymous brands – are now commonplace in our ...

Signs of quality – EU and UK geographical indication (GI) logos
Claire Evans - January 27, 2022

Signs of quality – EU and UK geographical indication (GI) logos

A geographical indication (GI) is a form of intellectually property right that protects food, drink ...

AI, IP and SMEs: jurisdictional clues about copyright solutions for start-ups
Karolina Fryzlewicz - January 27, 2022

AI, IP and SMEs: jurisdictional clues about copyright solutions for start-ups

Our world is passing through an era of explosive technological innovation. New technologies are ...

The Oatly trade mark and what businesses should know before choosing theirs
Jacqueline Pang - January 26, 2022

The Oatly trade mark and what businesses should know before choosing theirs

Veganuary, the annual challenge which encourages people to try a vegan lifestyle during January, ...

Fashion trade marks – understanding the basics
Karolina Fryzlewicz - December 16, 2021

Fashion trade marks – understanding the basics

Historically, traders have placed symbols on products to indicate their origin. These symbols were ...

Meet the team: Claire Evans, Associate, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney
Claire Evans - December 4, 2021

Meet the team: Claire Evans, Associate, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney

Claire Evans is a chartered trade mark attorney and associate with over 10 years’ experience in IP. ...

Warning competitors off your trade mark: how to use ™ and ® symbols
Karolina Fryzlewicz - November 26, 2021

Warning competitors off your trade mark: how to use ™ and ® symbols

Many of us, if not all, have walked past private land with a sign that reads: “Private Property. No ...

Meet the team: Karolina Fryzlewicz, Trade Mark Technical Assistant
Karolina Fryzlewicz - November 23, 2021

Meet the team: Karolina Fryzlewicz, Trade Mark Technical Assistant

Karolina Fryzlewicz is currently training to be a trade mark attorney having joined us in September ...

Brexit trade mark refilings - was 30 September 2021 really the final deadline?
Kate O'Rourke - October 28, 2021

Brexit trade mark refilings - was 30 September 2021 really the final deadline?

For most EU trade mark owners, 30 September 2021 was the final day to refile EU trade mark ...

Uncharted territory – your IP rights post-Brexit
Kate O'Rourke - October 14, 2021

Uncharted territory – your IP rights post-Brexit

30 September saw the passing of the final deadline for owners of EU trade mark and design rights to ...

WHOIS the infringer - identifying the registrant of a domain name
David Fyfield - September 28, 2021

WHOIS the infringer - identifying the registrant of a domain name

Disputes concerning domain names, linked to cybersquatting, fraud, counterfeiting, and other forms ...

Deadline to protect Registered Community Designs or Hague international designs imminent
John Addiss - September 20, 2021

Deadline to protect Registered Community Designs or Hague international designs imminent

Owners of Registered Community Designs (RCDs) or Hague international designs designating the EU ...

The Trademark Registry Exchange - protecting trade marks against Generic Top-Level Domains cybersquatting
Andy King - August 23, 2021

The Trademark Registry Exchange - protecting trade marks against Generic Top-Level Domains cybersquatting

The Trademark Registry Exchange (or ‘TREx’) offers domain name owners a cost-effective measure for ...

Apply for your Brexit UK trade mark re-filings now to minimise the risk of possible examination delays
Andy King - August 12, 2021

Apply for your Brexit UK trade mark re-filings now to minimise the risk of possible examination delays

Owners of EU trade mark rights that were pending on 31 December 2020 have until 30 September 2021 ...

WTR Global Leaders 2021
Jacqueline Murphy - July 20, 2021

WTR Global Leaders 2021

Congratulations to our former Head of Trade Marks Kate O'Rourke on being listed as a WTR Global ...

Non-traditional pharma trade marks: position marks
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - July 6, 2021

Non-traditional pharma trade marks: position marks

In this final blog in our non-traditional pharma trade mark series, we will be examining position ...

Monkey business: Banksy loses another trade mark registration for bad faith
Joe McAlary - July 5, 2021

Monkey business: Banksy loses another trade mark registration for bad faith

A recent decision of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has seen another trade ...

Ambush marketing: playing by the rules at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games
Andy King - July 2, 2021

Ambush marketing: playing by the rules at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games

In the year of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games (yes, it is still Tokyo 2020 and not Tokyo ...

YouGov survey finds that nearly a quarter of businesses have been a victim of cybersquatting
Andy King - June 28, 2021

YouGov survey finds that nearly a quarter of businesses have been a victim of cybersquatting

A recent survey conducted by Mewburn Ellis, in conjunction with YouGov, revealed that nearly a ...

Do not pass Go - General Court affirms bad faith in Hasbro MONOPOLY trade mark case
Andy King - June 2, 2021

Do not pass Go - General Court affirms bad faith in Hasbro MONOPOLY trade mark case

EU General Court (GC) in Case T‑663/19 confirms that refiling an identical mark for identical ...

Non-traditional pharma trade marks: sound, motion and multimedia marks
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - May 27, 2021

Non-traditional pharma trade marks: sound, motion and multimedia marks

Following on from our previous blog posts examining the role of shape marks and colour marks in the ...

Protecting your brand - trade mark or design, or both?
Kate O'Rourke - May 26, 2021

Protecting your brand - trade mark or design, or both?

Logos, shape marks, packaging and containers, and distinctive features or decoration. These are all ...

Impact of Brexit on pending EU trade mark applications
Kate O'Rourke - April 23, 2021

Impact of Brexit on pending EU trade mark applications

Trade mark owners should be alert to the deadline of 30th September 2021 to re-file EU trade mark ...

What's the beef? Using meat terms to describe meat alternatives
Jacqueline Pang - April 23, 2021

What's the beef? Using meat terms to describe meat alternatives

With the ‘future foods’ market set to grow exponentially over the coming years as a result of a ...

Non-traditional pharma trade marks: colours
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - April 21, 2021

Non-traditional pharma trade marks: colours

Our previous blog post, Non-traditional pharma trade marks: shapes, explored the relevance of shape ...

Thoughts on UK IPO representation for foreign-owned UK trade mark registrations
Andy King - April 21, 2021

Thoughts on UK IPO representation for foreign-owned UK trade mark registrations

Foreign owners of UK trade mark registrations are advised to appoint a UK IPO representative, if ...

Non-traditional pharma trade marks: shapes
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - March 23, 2021

Non-traditional pharma trade marks: shapes

In our previous blog post 'Naming pharmaceuticals: considerations for choosing, clearing and ...

Pharma brands: what's in a name?
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - March 22, 2021

Pharma brands: what's in a name?

Pinning down a new drug name that will both catch attention and clear regulatory hurdles requires ...

HALLOUMI v BBQLOUMI – General Court rules that there is no likelihood of confusion
Joe McAlary - February 22, 2021

HALLOUMI v BBQLOUMI – General Court rules that there is no likelihood of confusion

In a long running dispute over the marks “HALLOUMI” and “BBQLOUMI”, the General Court, having had ...

The principle of replacement in trade marks
Andy King - February 3, 2021

The principle of replacement in trade marks

The creation, by Brexit, of many thousands of new ‘comparable’ (or ‘cloned’) UK trade mark ...

Practical considerations for evidence at the UKIPO
Sofia Arenal - February 3, 2021

Practical considerations for evidence at the UKIPO

Since it is no longer possible to cover the UK by filing a trade mark application at the EU ...

In(sta)fringement: reporting trade mark infringement on Instagram
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - January 29, 2021

In(sta)fringement: reporting trade mark infringement on Instagram

Most readers will be familiar with Instagram, a global photo and video sharing social network which ...

The Zoom boom: Is there a downside?
Joe McAlary - January 22, 2021

The Zoom boom: Is there a downside?

Forward: features discuss and celebrate the best of innovation and exploration from the scientific ...

Webinar - What does Brexit really mean for trade marks, designs and patents?
Andy King - January 1, 2020

Webinar - What does Brexit really mean for trade marks, designs and patents?

The UK formally left the EU at 11pm GMT on 31 December 2020. This webinar gives an overview of the ...

Brexit has happened - what you need to know about the impact on trade marks
Kate O'Rourke - December 16, 2020

Brexit has happened - what you need to know about the impact on trade marks

Kate O’Rourke sets out the principles for UK and EU trade mark protection which came into force ...

Deep trouble: what can happen when we can’t sleep?
Richard Johnson - November 29, 2020

Deep trouble: what can happen when we can’t sleep?

It has perhaps never been harder for us to get our heads down. But could new technology come to the ...

Amazon Pharmacy trade mark battle
Andy King - November 24, 2020

Amazon Pharmacy trade mark battle

Amazon’s latest trademark dispute stems from its efforts to launch a new pharmacy service in the ...

UKIPO confirms new ‘Address for Service’ rules
Kate O'Rourke - November 20, 2020

UKIPO confirms new ‘Address for Service’ rules

CITMA is celebrating a major victory on Brexit in the wake of the UKIPO’s latest “address for ...

The impact of Brexit on .EU domain names
Andy King - November 6, 2020

The impact of Brexit on .EU domain names

Internet domain names are crucial commercial assets for many businesses. They are communicated to ...

Impact of Brexit on designs – an update
Kate O'Rourke - October 29, 2020

Impact of Brexit on designs – an update

As of 1st January 2021, Registered Community Designs (RCDs), unregistered Community designs (UCDs) ...

Naming pharmaceuticals: considerations for choosing, clearing and registering pharmaceutical brand names
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - October 28, 2020

Naming pharmaceuticals: considerations for choosing, clearing and registering pharmaceutical brand names

There are many different types of names you might see associated with a pharmaceutical product.

Utilising the potential of Amazon Brand Registry to protect and benefit your brand
Andy King - October 26, 2020

Utilising the potential of Amazon Brand Registry to protect and benefit your brand

As representatives for thousands of our client’s EUTM and UK trade mark registrations, we often ...

Three-dimensional Ferrari trade mark driven to partial cancellation
Andy King - October 22, 2020

Three-dimensional Ferrari trade mark driven to partial cancellation

EUIPO Cancellation Division partially cancels trade mark consisting of a three-dimensional ...

Renewal of EU trade marks post-Brexit
Kate O'Rourke - September 30, 2020

Renewal of EU trade marks post-Brexit

Owners of EU Trade Marks (EUTMs) which are due to be renewed after 31st December 2020 will need to ...

Bad Faith at the UK IPO – a review of recent cases
Andy King - September 18, 2020

Bad Faith at the UK IPO – a review of recent cases

The recent Sky v SkyKick case has put a renewed focus on the issue of “bad faith” at the UK IPO. ...

Banksy’s ‘Flower Thrower’ trade mark cancelled for bad faith
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - September 18, 2020

Banksy’s ‘Flower Thrower’ trade mark cancelled for bad faith

A recent decision of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has seen a trade mark ...

Facing facts: How the rise of face coverings has brought IP risks
Kate O'Rourke - September 15, 2020

Facing facts: How the rise of face coverings has brought IP risks

Forward: features discuss and celebrate the best of innovation and exploration from the scientific ...

Jaguar Land Rover unable to defend three-dimensional trade mark before the UK High Court
Andy King - September 11, 2020

Jaguar Land Rover unable to defend three-dimensional trade mark before the UK High Court

UK High Court (HC) upholds decision of UK IPO to refuse registration of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR)’s ...

The benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to brands and businesses
Kate O'Rourke - September 1, 2020

The benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to brands and businesses

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is standard practice for most business. No matter what the ...

Chinese character marks at the EUIPO
Jacqueline Pang - August 28, 2020

Chinese character marks at the EUIPO

As Chinese companies continue to grow and expand overseas, there has been a growing appetite to ...

General Court annuls the decision of EUIPO Board of Appeal in invalidity case involving Louis Vuitton’s well-known chequerboard print
Karolina Fryzlewicz - August 27, 2020

General Court annuls the decision of EUIPO Board of Appeal in invalidity case involving Louis Vuitton’s well-known chequerboard print

General Court (GC) in Case T-105/19 confirms EUIPO Board of Appeal (BoA) is not precluded from ...

Geographical indications: the evolving scope of evocation
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - August 5, 2020

Geographical indications: the evolving scope of evocation

Under EU law, protected designations of origin (PDOs) and protected geographical indications (PGIs) ...

®egistration and/or use of a trade mark – an automatic defence in the UK to trade mark infringement claims?
Andy King - July 29, 2020

®egistration and/or use of a trade mark – an automatic defence in the UK to trade mark infringement claims?

It is quite a common and perfectly reasonable assumption by some clients that by registering a ...

The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court - ongoing success for brand owners
Kate O'Rourke - July 29, 2020

The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court - ongoing success for brand owners

Since 1990 businesses seeking to defend their intellectual property (IP) rights in the UK have had ...

Oreo vs Twins - the biscuit wars
Sofia Arenal - July 28, 2020

Oreo vs Twins - the biscuit wars

Since 2015, two major biscuit manufacturers, have been doing battle, first at the EUIPO and then on ...

Madrid Protocol designations - the growing requirement for domestic representatives
Andy King - July 16, 2020

Madrid Protocol designations - the growing requirement for domestic representatives

The absence of a requirement to instruct local professional representation is considered one of the ...

Industry makeover: how the cosmetics industry has been affected by COVID-19
Jacqueline Pang - June 26, 2020

Industry makeover: how the cosmetics industry has been affected by COVID-19

The cosmetics industry has undergone a major transformation during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. ...

Life after Skykick: where next for wide specification filings at the UK IPO and EU IPO?
Andy King - June 18, 2020

Life after Skykick: where next for wide specification filings at the UK IPO and EU IPO?

This article examines some of the issues around the concept of use and intention to use a trade ...

Zombie trade marks: overcoming the pitfalls of resurrecting a brand
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - June 8, 2020

Zombie trade marks: overcoming the pitfalls of resurrecting a brand

Have you ever fondly remembered a brand from your youth and wished you could get your hands on ...

Packaging – why a design registration could help protect your look
Joe McAlary - May 11, 2020

Packaging – why a design registration could help protect your look

The food and drink sector is a notoriously crowded and competitive market and having visually ...

Counterfeit contagion: fraudulent activities spread amid coronavirus (COVID-19)
Kate O'Rourke - May 6, 2020

Counterfeit contagion: fraudulent activities spread amid coronavirus (COVID-19)

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused disruption to manufacturing operations on a global scale. Lockdown ...

The power of trade marks: social distancing logos during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - April 30, 2020

The power of trade marks: social distancing logos during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

We are all now familiar with the social distancing guidelines set out by the World Health ...

Temporary modification of production conditions for PGIs and PDOs will help farmers struggling to deal with coronavirus (COVID-19)
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - April 27, 2020

Temporary modification of production conditions for PGIs and PDOs will help farmers struggling to deal with coronavirus (COVID-19)

The coronavirus lockdowns across many European countries have brought a variety of new challenges ...

Why a
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - April 9, 2020

Why a "COVID-19” trade mark should be rejected

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly forced us all to adapt our lives and business practices in ...

Parallel imports of pharmaceuticals – A UK trade mark perspective
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - March 19, 2020

Parallel imports of pharmaceuticals – A UK trade mark perspective

The UK parallel import licensing scheme lets a medicine authorised in another EU Member State be ...

When the sky is not the limit: Issues facing businesses when expanding services and products
Kate O'Rourke - March 9, 2020

When the sky is not the limit: Issues facing businesses when expanding services and products

Conflicting views on the legitimacy of filing trademarks with broad lists of goods and services ...

Latest in Halloumi trade mark dispute
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - March 5, 2020

Latest in Halloumi trade mark dispute

In July 2014, Bulgarian company M. J. Dairies EOOD filed a European Union trade mark application ...

What’s in a name? Enforcing trade mark rights and the own name defence
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - March 3, 2020

What’s in a name? Enforcing trade mark rights and the own name defence

Clothing and accessories brand Hugo Boss has recently found itself making headlines, and probably ...

Sky v Skykick - status quo remains for trade mark owners
Andy King - February 20, 2020

Sky v Skykick - status quo remains for trade mark owners

Background Sky, the TV, broadcasting, media and telecommunications giant, brought infringement and ...

Rubik’s Cube trade mark in puzzling General Court decision
Andy King - December 4, 2019

Rubik’s Cube trade mark in puzzling General Court decision

This article was originally published on the CITMA website. View the original article here. Ruling ...

The Aboriginal flag dispute in focus: who owns the right to use?
Kate O'Rourke - December 2, 2019

The Aboriginal flag dispute in focus: who owns the right to use?

The Australian government is considering whether to compulsorily acquire the rights to use the ...

General Court annuls incorrect interpreted specification of trade mark
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - November 27, 2019

General Court annuls incorrect interpreted specification of trade mark

We are delighted to report that our client Alliance Pharmaceuticals Limited has been successful in ...

5 top tips to prevent trade mark ‘genericide’
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - October 2, 2019

5 top tips to prevent trade mark ‘genericide’

Most trade mark owners will be aware that their UK or European Union trade mark registration is ...

USPTO changes rules of representation for overseas trade mark applicants
Andy King - August 12, 2019

USPTO changes rules of representation for overseas trade mark applicants

The US Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has recently changed the rules regarding the need for ...

Cultural (mis)appropriation in trademarks: can (and should) you register culturally sensitive names?
Andy King - July 31, 2019

Cultural (mis)appropriation in trademarks: can (and should) you register culturally sensitive names?

Andy King, Partner and Trademark Attorney at Mewburn Ellis, discusses the controversial issue of ...

New European spirit drinks regulation EU 2019/787
Andy King - July 24, 2019

New European spirit drinks regulation EU 2019/787

Dydra Donath breaks down the new regulation the EU has placed on spirit drink trademarks. Article ...

Three-stripes and you’re out: Adidas lose trade mark battle
Kate O'Rourke - June 21, 2019

Three-stripes and you’re out: Adidas lose trade mark battle

Adidas’ famed three-stripe logo has been deemed as lacking “distinctive character”. The General ...

Glen Buchenbach - Scotch whisky?
Andy King - May 20, 2019

Glen Buchenbach - Scotch whisky?

Originally published in The Trademark Lawyer, Dydra Donath discusses the recent CJEU decision on ...

Babybel trade mark blow
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - April 3, 2019

Babybel trade mark blow

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has dealt a blow to the owners of Babybel cheese, ...

Significant blow to Cadbury in purple trade mark battle
Rebecca Anderson-Smith - December 6, 2018

Significant blow to Cadbury in purple trade mark battle

Cadbury has been dealt a blow by the Court of Appeal in its battle to maintain its trade mark for ...

Roger Federer in trade mark dispute with Nike
Jacqueline Pang - July 20, 2018

Roger Federer in trade mark dispute with Nike

Roger Federer recently left Nike and signed a deal with Uniqlo reportedly worth $30million per ...

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