Intellectual Property UK

  • April 11, 2025

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

    This past week in London has seen law firm Michael Wilson & Partners reignite a 20-year dispute with a former director over an alleged plot to form a rival partnership, headphone maker Marshall Amplification sue a rival in the intellectual property court, and a commercial diving company pursue action against state-owned nuclear waste processor Sellafield. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new cases in the U.K.

  • April 11, 2025

    Hipgnosis Seeks To Revive Fee Dispute With Barry Manilow

    A music rights company urged the Court of Appeal on Friday to revive its claims against Barry Manilow, arguing that it has a right to pursue previously nixed claims against the megastar singer-songwriter over a $1.5 million rights purchase fee.

  • April 10, 2025

    EU Adviser Calls For Flexibility In Heirs' Film Copyright Case

    A European Court of Justice advocate general recommended Thursday that a French court allow the heirs of French director Claude Chabrol and screenwriter Paul Gégauff to bring a copyright lawsuit against the distributors of Chabrol and Gégauff's films.

  • April 10, 2025

    Microsoft Pushes Back On UK's Cloud Software Findings

    Microsoft has responded to the concerns raised by Britain's competition enforcer over the cloud services market, saying that artificial intelligence is radically reshaping the space, and that any regulatory intervention could make the industry less dynamic.

  • April 10, 2025

    EUIPO Must Not Ignore UK TMs From Pre-Brexit, Adviser Says

    The European Union Intellectual Property Office must weigh up potential conflicts with U.K. trademarks when considering applications filed before Brexit, an adviser to the bloc's top court said Thursday.

  • April 10, 2025

    UK Expands IP Mediation Program For Unrepresented Parties

    The U.K. government said Thursday it will pilot an expanded program of mediation in intellectual property disputes, primarily aimed at parties who do not have legal representation.

  • April 10, 2025

    Viagra Maker Wins EU Battle To Keep Trademark

    Viatris has beaten an attempt to revoke its trademark over the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, after European Union officials ruled that the company has put the mark to proper use.

  • April 09, 2025

    AstraZeneca Blocks Generics Ahead Of Patent Dispute

    AstraZeneca convinced an appeals court Wednesday to keep rival Glenmark's generic version of a billion-dollar diabetes treatment off the market ahead of determination of a patent dispute.

  • April 09, 2025

    Electronics Giants Denied UPC Infringement Claim Split

    The Unified Patent Court ruled Wednesday that three electronics companies must face a glass manufacturer's patent infringement claim in one case because there is no reason to split the dispute into three.

  • April 09, 2025

    Ericsson Inks Video Patent License Deal With Avanci 

    Avanci and Ericsson have struck a deal giving the Finnish telecommunications firm access to its pool of essential patents for internet video streaming, the U.S. license operator said Tuesday.

  • April 09, 2025

    Soft Drinks Giant Can't Stop Rival's 'Snapple' TM For E-Cigs

    Soft drinks maker Snapple has failed to convince European officials to nix a Chinese firm's trademark application for the same name because consumers would not think its beverage brand was connected to the e-cigarettes produced by its rival.

  • April 09, 2025

    Meditation App Trims 'Calm Therapy' TM Bid From Makeup Biz

    The business behind a popular meditation app has persuaded European Union officials to narrow a Spanish cosmetics company's "Calm Therapy" trademark application, proving shoppers could mistake the logo for its "Calm Health" brand.

  • April 08, 2025

    UPC Can Weigh Issues In Spain Even Though It Didn't Join

    Europe's patent court confirmed Tuesday that it has jurisdiction to hear a patent dispute between two motorcyclist gear makers, including infringement issues in Spain, even though the country didn't join the UPC system.

  • April 08, 2025

    J&J Unit Can't Revive Dutch Infringement Claim Over Drug

    A Dutch appeals court has rejected Janssen's claim that Samsung has infringed its patent over the Crohn's treatment Stelara by producing the drug on European Union soil with plans to export it outside the bloc.

  • April 08, 2025

    Plastics Biz Accuses Cosmetics Co. Of Copying Brush Design

    A French plastic products manufacturer has maintained that its designs for a makeup brush stand out from existing products on the market, following an attempt by a cosmetics firm to revoke its rights in an ongoing infringement dispute.

  • April 08, 2025

    Gap, TfL Forced To Pay Own Costs In 'Mind The Gap' TM Fight

    A challenge by clothing retailer Gap Inc. to Transport for London's "mind the gap" trademark has ended with both sides ordered to cover their own legal costs, after U.K. officials found both parties had acted unreasonably.

  • April 08, 2025

    Former Georgian PM Wins Fight To Nix $1.8M Extortion Case

    A former prime minister of Georgia won his bid on Tuesday to avoid a court case in London over allegations that he extorted a businessman for almost $1.8 million and tried to take over a tobacco business.

  • April 08, 2025

    Nikon, Tokyo Uni's Patent For Cell Analysis Snubbed By EPO

    An appeals board has blocked Nikon Corp. and the University of Tokyo from getting a European patent over their cell imaging and analysis technology, ruling that the development cannot be inventive because it has no technical effect.

  • April 07, 2025

    Jaguar Land Rover Inks Patent License Deal With Avanci

    Avanci and British automotive manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover have struck a deal over a pool of essential patents linked to 5G connected vehicles, the U.S. license operator announced Monday.

  • April 07, 2025

    Bristol-Myers Bears Brunt Of Costs In Eliquis Patent Fight

    The Irish Court of Appeal has ordered Bristol-Myers Squibb to shoulder the majority of the legal costs for a significant patent infringement appeal over its blood thinner Eliquis, the company's biggest moneymaker.

  • April 07, 2025

    MLB Loses Bid To TM 'Cleveland Guardians' In UK

    Major League Baseball has lost its bid to register three trademarks related to the Cleveland Guardians team, after British officials found that an esports team had already made a name for itself using the "Guardians" brand.

  • April 07, 2025

    WeWork Loses 'By We' EU Trademark For Co-Working Spaces

    European Union officials have stripped WeWork of its "By We" trademark over co-working spaces, ruling that it could gain an unfair advantage if shoppers create a link with the "We" branding of a Dutch fashion chain.

  • April 07, 2025

    Chanel's 'Allure' TM Narrows Rival's Bid For 'Dallure'

    Chanel has succeeded in partially axing a rival beauty manufacturer's mark for "Dallure BCN," after European officials ruled that shoppers might confuse it with the French fashion giant's Allure brand. 

  • April 07, 2025

    Designer Accuses Businessmen Of Copying 'Iconic' Tote Bag

    The designer of a tote bag accused two businessmen at the start of a High Court trial on Monday of producing an almost identical design but making it "just different enough" to avoid allegations of selling counterfeit goods.

  • April 07, 2025

    UPC Rules Meril Infringed Another Edwards Heart Valve Patent

    The Unified Patent Court has ordered Meril to halt sales of its prosthetic heart valves that infringe one of Edwards' patents in Europe, marking another victory for Edwards in the long-running feud between the makers of medical devices.

Expert Analysis

  • The Rising Tide Of EU Antitrust Enforcement In Pharma

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    The European Commission’s recent record-breaking €463 million fine of Teva for abusing its dominant position confirms that European Union competition law enforcement in the pharmaceutical sector remains a priority, with infringements drawing serious financial exposure, say lawyers at Cooley.

  • What The Future Of AI In Financial Services Looks Like

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    Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the global financial services industry, with a hybrid model likely to evolve where AI handles routine tasks and humans focus on strategy and decision-making, so financial institutions should work with regulators to establish ethical standards and meet regulatory expectations without stifling innovation, say lawyers at Womble Bond.

  • The EU Design System Changes US Cos. Need To Know About

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    With a number of major reforms to the European Union's design protection system set to take effect in the first half of 2025, U.S. companies need to stay informed about specific details to maintain effective intellectual property management in the EU market, say lawyers at Finnegan.

  • What New Int'l Treaty Means For Global AI Regulation

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    Lawyers at Bird & Bird consider how global artificial intelligence regulation will be affected by the first international AI treaty recently signed by the U.S., EU and U.K., as well as its implications for business and several issues that stakeholders should be aware of.

  • HMRC Transfer Pricing Guide A Vital Resource For Businesses

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    HM Revenue & Customs' recent guidelines on common transfer pricing compliance risks should be required reading for affected businesses in indicating HMRC's expected benchmark for documents and policies, say Tomoko Ikawa and Kapisha Vyas at Simmons & Simmons.

  • Comparing Apples To Oranges In EPO Claim Interpretation

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    A referral before the Enlarged Board of Appeal could fundamentally change the role that descriptions play in claims interpretation at the European Patent Office, altering best drafting practices for patent applications construed there, say lawyers at Finnegan.

  • Why India May Become A Major Patent Litigation Forum

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    India is reinventing itself with the goal of becoming a global hot spot for patent litigation, with recent developments at the Delhi High Court creating incentives for plaintiffs to assert patent rights in India, say Ranganath Sudarshan at Covington and IP litigator Udit Sood.

  • Takeaways From UPC's Amgen Patent Invalidity Analysis

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    The Unified Patent Court Central Division's decision in Regeneron v. Amgen to revoke a patent for lack of inventive step is particularly clear in its reasoning and highlights the risks to patentees of the new court's central revocation powers, say Jane Evenson and Caitlin Heard at CMS.

  • UK Approach To AI Patentability Appears Settled For Now

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    After a High Court ruling upended the status quo last year, the Court of Appeal’s recent decision that Emotional Perception’s artificial neural network is not patentable represents a return to the U.K.’s familiar, albeit often complex, approach to patentability of artificial intelligence technology and computer programs generally, say lawyers at Potter Clarkson.

  • AI Reforms Prompt Fintech Compliance Considerations

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    With the EU Artificial Intelligence Act's Aug. 1 enforcement, and the U.K.'s new plans to introduce AI reforms, fintech companies should consider how to best focus limited resources as they balance innovation and compliance, says Nicola Kerr-Shaw at Skadden.

  • 10 Ways To Manage AI Risks In Service Contracts

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    With the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act coming into force on Aug. 1 and introducing a new regulatory risk, and with AI technology continuing to develop at pace, parties to services arrangements should employ mechanisms now to build in flexibility and get on the front foot, says James Longster at Travers Smith.

  • What Future May Hold For AI Innovation In UK Under Labour

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    Labour’s recent King's Speech was notable in its absence of discussion of a comprehensive artificial intelligence bill, and while this may indicate to many that the UK is open for business, the party’s approach to cross-sectoral engagement will be critical for shaping Britain's AI landscape in the near term, says Alexander Amato-Cravero at Herbert Smith.

  • Don't Wing Settlements: Lessons From Morley's TM Ruling

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    In Morley's v. Sivakumar, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court recently found that a fast-food franchiser had breached a fried chicken franchise's trademark rights, despite a prior settlement agreement, offering lessons on drafting express terms to ensure IP protection, say Nessa Khandaker and Clare Cornell at Finnegan.

  • Use Or Lose It: European TM Ruling Stresses 'Genuine Use'

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    The European Union General Court recently dismissed an action to revoke trademark protections for a lack of use in Sta Grupa v. EU Intellectual Property Office, offering significant insight into the intricacies of assessing evidence of genuine use in revocation actions, says Sumi Nadarajah at FRKelly.

  • 1 Year At The UPC: Implications For Transatlantic Disputes

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    In its first year, the Unified Patent Court has issued important decisions on procedures like provisional measures, but complexities remain when it comes to coordinating proceedings across jurisdictions like the U.S. due to differences in timelines and discovery practices, say attorneys at McDermott.

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