Intellectual Property UK

  • July 10, 2025

    Pfizer Takes Aim At Moderna's Leftover MRNA Protections

    Pfizer asked an appeals court Thursday to revoke surplus patent protections underpinning rival Moderna's mRNA vaccine after getting a key patent tossed.

  • July 10, 2025

    Bird & Bird's Revenues Hit £580M As Tech Growth Continues

    Bird & Bird LLP said Thursday that it has continued to grow despite facing challenging economic conditions as its revenue increased to approximately £580 million ($787 million) and profits rose in its latest financial results — though partner profits were flat.

  • July 10, 2025

    Premier Inn TM Put To Bed In Europe Over Descriptiveness

    European trademark officials have refused to register "Premier Inn" as a trademark in the European Union, ruling that the U.K. budget hotel brand's name is too descriptive of the hotel services it represents.

  • July 10, 2025

    Rakuten Can't Patent Personalized Feed Tech In EU

    Rakuten Group Inc. has lost its bid to patent an information processing system that provides website and app users with fewer news articles or movie choices based on scrolling habits, after European officials found that it wasn't solving a technical problem.

  • July 10, 2025

    Braun Brushes Away Challenge To Electric Toothbrush Patent

    German consumer giant Braun has held on to key parts of its toothbrush patent after convincing the European Patent Office to toss arguments by a Swiss competitor that existing products do not match the unique bristle design protected in the patent.

  • July 09, 2025

    Alaska Airlines Seeks Delta Discovery For TM Feud In UK

    Alaska Airlines asked a Georgia federal judge to allow it to take discovery from Delta Airlines on Wednesday for use in a U.K. court case against Virgin Group, which Alaska said is trying to charge it millions of dollars so that Alaska's rivals can use the Virgin brand.

  • July 09, 2025

    Toy Maker Fails To Revive Rubik's Cube TM At EU Court

    A European Union court on Wednesday rejected a toy company's attempt to rekindle its 3D Rubik's Cube trademark on the grounds that its shape is entirely functional.

  • July 09, 2025

    Sony Can Alter Defense In Hendrix Band Copyright Case

    The U.K. arm of Sony won permission to alter its defense against a claim brought by the estates of Jimi Hendrix's former bandmates in a copyright feud over the group's back catalog, after a London judge dismissed the estates' objections on Wednesday.

  • July 09, 2025

    Car Brake Maker Accuses Rival Of Copying Design

    A manufacturer of suspension and brake systems for cars has sued a rival in a London court for patent infringement, saying its brake calipers were disassembled and re-engineered with new components.

  • July 09, 2025

    Honor Blocks AI Co.'s 'BookMagicAI' TM For Software In UK

    Chinese electronics company Honor Device Co. has convinced British officials to partially block an AI writing platform's application for the trademark "bookmagicai," finding that the name might confuse consumers interested in its products.

  • July 09, 2025

    Auto Giants Get Tentative Antitrust OK For IP Licensing Org

    The European Union's executive arm told German auto giants BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen Wednesday that their new licensing group will comply with the bloc's antitrust regime as long as they let standard essential patent holders opt out of talks, among other conditions.

  • July 09, 2025

    Target Misses Bull's-Eye TM Bid At EU Court

    U.S. retail giant Target lost a trademark over its red bull's-eye logo on Wednesday after a European Union court ruled that the mark was too banal to be protected as it displayed only simple geometric shapes.

  • July 09, 2025

    Zurich Loses Appeal For Software Patent At EPO

    Zurich Insurance has lost its latest attempt to secure a patent over its software that helps multiple users work on a project, failing to convince a European appeals board that the technology is inventive.

  • July 08, 2025

    DreamWorks Loses Chunk Of 'Trolls' TM In UK

    DreamWorks has lost a significant portion of its "Trolls" U.K. trademarks after an online casino company convinced trademark officials that the marks had not been used in five years.

  • July 08, 2025

    Drugmaker Wants £46M For MSD's Use Of 'Merck' In UK

    German drugmaker Merck KGaA asked a London court Tuesday to force U.S.-based Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC to pay £46 million ($62 million) for breaching an order by using the "Merck" name in the U.K.

  • July 08, 2025

    Spanish Firm Nixes 'LegalFly' AI Tech Trademark

    A Spanish law firm has convinced European officials to nix a trademark registered by a company using artificial intelligence to review and draft documents, ruling that lawyers would mix up the similar-looking signs.

  • July 08, 2025

    LG Can Patent Rollable Screen On Appeal

    LG has won its bid to patent a rollable screen that prevents "ghost images" from permanently forming on users' devices, after convincing European officials that its technology incorporated new features.

  • July 08, 2025

    Furniture Biz Wins High Chair Copyright Clash In Dutch Court

    A Dutch court has restricted a German company's ability to market its adjustable high chair in the European Union, ruling that it infringes a Norwegian rival's rights over a "Tripp Trapp" chair design that has existed for 50 years.

  • July 07, 2025

    Amazon, Netflix Win Video Tech Patent Fight At EPO

    A European appeals panel has upheld Amazon and Netflix's successful challenge against a tech company's video playback patent, ruling in a decision published Monday that the patent is invalid.

  • July 07, 2025

    Huawei Loses 2nd Bid To Move Patent Dispute To China

    Huawei couldn't convince a London judge to let a Chinese court handle its patent license dispute with MediaTek for a second time, as nothing had changed since its last request in December.

  • July 07, 2025

    IBM Rival Can't Appeal Reverse-Engineering Defeat

    A London appeals court has blocked a tech company's "kitchen sink" appeal against a ruling that it unlawfully reverse engineered IBM's software to help develop a competing product.

  • July 07, 2025

    IP Software Manager Wins £77K After Botched Transfer

    A tribunal has ruled that a software company specializing in intellectual property portfolios must compensate a London-based employee more than £77,000 ($105,000), ruling that the business had failed to offer an explanation for why she was sacked.

  • July 07, 2025

    Boehringer Can't Get SPC For Horse Inhaler 

    British officials rejected Boehringer Ingelheim's bid to get a supplementary protection certificate for a treatment for horse asthma because the company had already protected the active ingredient when it introduced inhalers for human use. 

  • July 04, 2025

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    The past week in London has seen the owner of Crystal Palace and the troubled Olympique Lyonnais football clubs sue its current chief executive John Textor, Fieldfisher faces a claim by Georgian businessman Zaza Okusahvili, and a dispute partner at Travers Smith file a personal injury claim against the firm.

  • July 04, 2025

    Nvidia Can't Get UK Patent Over Neural Gaming Tech

    U.K. officials have rejected Nvidia's attempt to secure a patent over its neural network gaming system, ruling that the technology cannot be patented because it is solely for a computer program.

Expert Analysis

  • Should Patent Disputes Be Filed In The ITC Or UPC?

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    When companies must choose between initiating patent litigation in the U.S. International Trade Commission or the European Union's Unified Patent Court, the ITC may offer a few distinct advantages, but ultimately the decision requires consideration of case-specific factors, say attorneys at White & Case.

  • Prospects And Challenges For Expert Evidence At The UPC

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    Expert testimony on economic or damages-related issues will likely play a larger part in Unified Patent Court proceedings in the near future, potentially presenting unique challenges for experts, counsel and judges alike, say analysts at Charles River.

  • Strategies For Litigating In The Unified Patent Court

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    Since opening its gates two years ago, the European Unified Patent Court has transformed the patent litigation landscape and global litigation strategies, but parties seeking to take advantage of the court's robust processes must be prepared for the front-loaded character of UPC proceedings, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Incorporating UKIPO Guidance Into AI Patent Strategies

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    Updated guidance from the U.K. Intellectual Property Office sheds light on how it assesses patents for artificial intelligence inventions and highlights approaches that improve applicants' options for demonstrating that AI provides a technical contribution, say lawyers at Finnegan.

  • Clarity On Knotty Patent Jurisdiction Questions From CJEU

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    The recent ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union in BSH v. Electrolux sheds light on how the jurisdiction of the Unified Patent Court competes with that of the EU member state courts over infringement and validity actions, and could extend international jurisdiction of the EU courts in several ways, say lawyers at August Debouzy.

  • Opinion

    UK Court Of Appeal's FRAND Ruling Is Troubling

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    The U.K. Court of Appeal's recent decision in Optis v. Apple disregards a lower court's extensive factual findings and contradicts its own precedent regarding fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms for cellular patents, says Enrico Bonadio at the University of London.

  • What Businesses Need To Know About EU Design Law Reform

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    Recent reforms to European Union design protection law will broaden the scope of what constitutes protected designs and products, likely creating new opportunities and considerations for businesses operating within the EU or those engaging with its markets, say lawyers at Foley & Lardner.

  • What Latest VC Model Document Revisions Offer UK Investors

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    Recent updates to the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association model documents, reflecting prevailing U.K. market practice on early-stage equity financing terms and increasing focus on compliance issues, provide needed protection for investors in relation to the growth in global foreign direct investment regimes, say lawyers at Davis Polk.

  • Protecting Brand Identity In An AI-Driven Marketplace

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    A lawsuit recently filed in New York federal court marks a critical moment in the intersection of artificial intelligence and trademark law, underscoring the importance of — and challenges surrounding — IP owners' ability to protect their brands as AI-generated content continues to grow, says Wendy Heilbut at Heilbut LLC.

  • Opt-Out Strategy Considerations After Ruling In UPC Appeal

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    The Court of Appeal of the Unified Patent Court in AIM Sport Development v. Supponor recently clarified the circumstances under which a withdrawal of an opt-out from UPC jurisdiction is possible, bringing new strategic considerations for both patentees and potential defendants, say lawyers at Finnegan.

  • Opinion

    EU's AI Code Of Practice Creates Risk Of Regulatory Clashes

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    The second draft of the European Commission's Artificial Intelligence Code of Practice significantly expands beyond the European Union's existing legal framework for AI — especially around copyright protection, public transparency and reporting obligations — and risks interfering with other EU laws by introducing requirements contrary to existing regulations, say lawyers at MoFo.

  • Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises

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    “No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Key Points From Gov't Consultation On Copyright And AI

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    The U.K. government’s current consultation on mitigating artificial intelligence input and output risks to copyright holders seeks to facilitate copyright holders in bringing actions against AI developers that make unauthorized use of protected works and mandate consistent labeling of AI-generated content, say lawyers at Deloitte.

  • What 2025 Holds For UK, EU Restructuring And Insolvency

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    European Union and U.K. restructuring developments in 2024, with a new era of director accountability, the use of cramdown tools and the emergence of aggressive liability management exercises, mean greater consideration of creditors' interests and earlier engagement in restructuring discussions can be expected this year, says Inga West at Ashurst.

  • What To Know As EU Urges Outbound Investment Reviews

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    A recent European Commission recommendation urges European Union member states to review outbound investments in certain critical technologies sectors, but does not clarify the next steps for states once information on relevant transactions in third countries is received, say lawyers at Cleary.

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