Intellectual Property UK

  • March 19, 2026

    Gov't Creates More Questions With Latest Take On AI And IP

    Tech companies and creatives alike have more doubt than ever about the legal framework for artificial intelligence and copyright, following a much-anticipated report on the topic from the government that kicks pressing issues down the road, experts say.

  • March 19, 2026

    Critical Literary Editions Can Qualify For Copyright Protection

    A European court ruled Thursday that a critical edition containing scholarly notes and commentary on an existing copyrighted work can also qualify for protection under European Union law if it is original and more than just a mere idea. 

  • March 19, 2026

    Loewe Wins Bid To Nix Spanish Rival's 'Aoura' Perfume TM

    A European court sided with Spanish luxury giant Loewe in a trademark dispute and nixed a rival's application for "Aoura," ruling that shoppers might confuse its perfumes with the 180-year-old brand's "Aura Loewe" fragrance line for women. 

  • March 19, 2026

    Counterfeit Velcro Claims May Defame Rival, Judge Says

    A London court ruled Thursday that a packaging products supplier's claims that its rival was selling counterfeit Velcro goods on Amazon were factual statements and capable of being defamatory.

  • March 19, 2026

    Clarks, Trek Breached 25-Year-Old Branding Agreement

    A London court ruled Thursday that British shoemaker Clarks and U.S. bike retailer Trek both breached a 25-year-old brand coexistence agreement relating to the use of their respective "Trek" trademarks.

  • March 19, 2026

    Rolls-Royce Sinks Rival's 'V12X' Boat Engine TM At EU Court

    Rolls-Royce has persuaded a European Union court not to restore a rival's "V12X" trademark for marine engines as it successfully showed that the logo simply describes the 12-cylinder power units that its opponent sells.

  • March 18, 2026

    Zara Flexes Fashion Reputation To Trim Turkish Co.'s TM

    The owner of fashion giant Zara has convinced European officials to narrow a Turkish company's trademark application for "Zarify," after proving that shoppers would likely think the Spanish brand controlled the rival's website selling clothes and shoes. 

  • March 18, 2026

    Hugo Boss Bars 'Bosa' TM For Cosmetics In EU

    Hugo Boss has stopped an individual based in China from securing a "Bosa" trademark covering cosmetic goods in the European Union, proving that the brand would unfairly ride on the coattails of its famous "Boss" branding.

  • March 18, 2026

    Calm App Owner Wins Broader Block To 'Calm Therapy' TM

    The company behind popular meditation app Calm has convinced European officials to trim a cosmetic company's trademark bid for "calm therapy" even further, as other beauty treatments overlapped with the app's mental health services.

  • March 18, 2026

    Aldi Loses Bid To Crush Wine Maker's 'Aldo Bottega' TM

    Aldi has failed to convince European officials to nix a famed prosecco producer's trademark application for "Aldo Bottega," as it failed to prove that it had used its earlier "Aldi" sign to sell wine or other registered tipple over a required five-year period.

  • March 18, 2026

    Laser Maker Gets 2nd UPC Injunction To Ban Rival's Sales

    An industrial laser producer has persuaded the Unified Patent Court to limit a competing company's sales in parts of Europe, winning a second injunction against its rival in a matter of weeks.

  • March 18, 2026

    UK Backs Off Plan To Put Burden On Creatives In AI Scraping

    The government has backed away from its proposal to make creatives opt out of having their work used to train artificial intelligence models, after a backlash from the sector saying that the onus should be on AI companies to license their work.

  • March 17, 2026

    UPC Won't Defer To Top EU Court On Evidence Preservation

    Appellate judges at the Unified Patent Court have refused to ask the European Union's top court to clarify when intellectual property owners can seek up-front measures to preserve "relevant evidence" of possible infringement.

  • March 17, 2026

    PE Firm Can't Get Early Win In £50M Software Biz Buyout Case

    A private equity firm has lost its bid for an early win in its £50 million ($66.7 million) claim that the previous owner of a software business it acquired breached warranties by incorrectly stating that the company had necessary software licenses.

  • March 17, 2026

    Tech Biz Denies Stealing Idea For Ride-Sharing Taxi Software

    A taxi platform has denied a developer's claims that it stole his idea for taxi software, arguing that its tool that optimizes ride-sharing existed seven years before he shared his competing concept with the U.K.'s innovation agency. 

  • March 17, 2026

    Perry Ellis Loses 'Grand Slam' TM Contest

    European Union officials have rejected Perry Ellis' bid to register the trademark "Grand Slam," finding the phrase would likely call to mind sporting triumphs by elite athletes during competitions rather than the clothing brand's actual products. 

  • March 17, 2026

    Amazon, Google Deny Infringing UK Cloud Computing Patent

    Amazon and Google have denied that their cloud computing services infringe a U.S. company's data processing patent, telling a London court in parallel cases that the patent is not valid.

  • March 17, 2026

    Crumbl Cookies Can't Whip Up Logo Protection In EU 

    Crumbl Cookies has failed to secure protection for its "crumbl cookies" logo, as European officials found that its rising reputation does not offset the risk that consumers would confuse it with Crumbel, a Belgian bakery.

  • March 16, 2026

    Amgen And Sanofi End Repatha IP Fight Heard By Justices

    Amgen Inc. and Sanofi have settled patent litigation over competing cholesterol drugs Repatha and Praluent, more than two years after they dueled at the U.S. Supreme Court, Sanofi confirmed Monday.

  • March 16, 2026

    EU's Proposals On AI IP Restrictions Still Face Uphill Battle

    Proposals to impose strict copyright restrictions on AI developers show the European Union holding steadfast in its goal to protect rights holders from unauthorized use of their work, but lawyers say pushback from AI companies will likely delay their adoption by the European Commission.

  • March 16, 2026

    Video Game Developer Sued Over Unlicensed Music Use

    The Performing Right Society has sued Valve Corp. in London, accusing the American developer behind the game Half-Life of using its members' musical work on the company's Steam gaming platform without permission.

  • March 16, 2026

    OpenAI, Adobe Dodge French Co.'s Extra-Territorial UPC Case

    OpenAI and Adobe have convinced appellate judges at the Unified Patent Court that the court does not have the jurisdiction to hear a French company's claim that they infringed its patent in several nations that are outside the unitary patent system.

  • March 16, 2026

    UPC Shuts Down Tumor Drug Feud After EPO Voids Patent

    The Unified Patent Court has called time on Neurocrine Biosciences Inc.'s challenge to Spruce Biosciences Inc.'s tumor drug patent after the European Patent Office revoked the intellectual property at the center of their clash.

  • March 16, 2026

    Winemaker E&J Gallo Can't Bag Natural Colorant Patent

    E. & J. Gallo Winery has failed to reinstate a patent for producing natural coloring from fruit and vegetables after an appeals board found the winemaker had dropped a recycling step that was central to the process disclosed in its original application. 

  • March 13, 2026

    BMW Keeps Eye On Texas As Onesta Drops German IP Suits

    Onesta IP says its withdrawal of its controversial German lawsuits accusing BMW of patent infringement means the automaker's own legal challenge in Texas federal court over the suits should be dismissed, though counsel for BMW didn't see it that way.

Expert Analysis

  • Winter Olympics Put The Spotlight On IP Issues

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    This year's Winter Olympics generated a handful of intellectual property controversies that highlight the key considerations that should be kept in mind when using creative works at sporting events, says attorneys at Squire Patton.

  • How EU Reforms May Affect Copyright, AI Balance

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    The European Parliament’s recently proposed resolution calling on the European Commission to address the intersection between copyright and generative artificial intelligence will have implications for companies developing technology, whose compliance costs will soar, and rights holders, for whom great opportunities may lie ahead, says Pasquale Tammaro at BonelliErede.

  • EU Foreign Subsidies Guide Brings Clarity And Questions

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    The European Commission’s long-awaited EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation guidelines provide helpful clarifications for companies, but with many areas remaining broadly framed, uncertainty may continue to deter investments and increase the compliance burden on organizations, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.

  • USPTO Initiatives May Bolster SEP Litigation In The US

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    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's recent efforts to revitalize standard-essential patent litigation face hurdles in their reliance on courts and other agencies, but may help the U.S. regain its central role in global SEP litigation if successful, say attorneys at Axinn.

  • How To Navigate AI M&A Risks, Compliance In Europe

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    As the artificial intelligence industry continues to witness substantial M&A transactions in Europe, parties should be mindful of the unique challenges posed by the acquisition of intangible AI technologies, monitor the evolving regulatory landscape, and establish optimal mechanisms for risk allocation, say lawyers at Morgan Lewis.

  • Judicial AI Guidance Update Shows Caution Still Prevails

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    The judiciary’s recently updated guidance on the use of artificial intelligence warns judges and tribunal members about misinformation and white text manipulation, providing a reminder that AI tools cannot replace direct engagement with evidence and reflecting a broader concern about their application when handling confidential material, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.

  • Navigating Legal Privilege Issues When Using AI

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    The recent explosion in artificial intelligence has led to prompts and AI outputs that may be susceptible to disclosure in proceedings, and it is important to apply familiar principles to assess whether legal privilege may apply to these interactions, say lawyers at HSF.

  • UK Getty Ruling Tests Balance Of IP Rights And AI Industry

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    The recent Getty Images v. Stability AI High Court decision, rejecting copyright claims while upholding limited trademark infringement, will influence the creative community and U.K. artificial intelligence industry alike, and the training of AI models in the U.K. is still a risk, say lawyers at Powell Gilbert.

  • Role Of UK Investment Act Is Evolving In M&A Deals

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    With merger and acquisition activity likely to increase in light of the government’s new defense industrial strategy, the role of the National Security and Investment Act will come into sharper focus, and its recent annual report confirms that scrutiny is intensifying, say lawyers at Kingsley Napley.

  • Growth, Harmonization In Focus As Hague System Turns 100

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    One hundred years after its establishment, the Hague System has grown into an important pillar of international design protection, offering a promising path toward even greater harmonization in design law as its geographic reach continues to expand, say attorneys at Sterne Kessler.

  • EPO Referral May Shift Patent Description Amendment Rules

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    The European Patent Office’s recent referral G 1/25 to the Enlarged Board of Appeal seeks to offer clarification on inconsistencies concerning requirements for description amendments, which could bring a change in direction for the EPO that potentially harmonizes its prosecution process with those of other countries, say lawyers at Finnegan.

  • What To Know About Interim Licenses In Global FRAND Cases

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    Recent U.K. court decisions have shaped a framework for interim licenses in global standard-essential patent disputes, under which parties can benefit from operating on temporary terms while a court determines the final fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms — but the future of this developing remedy is in doubt, say attorneys at Fish & Richardson.

  • EU Act Establishes Data Sharing Rules, But Hurdles Remain

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    The recently effective European Union Data Act provisions establish harmonized rules to unlock the use of data generated by technology-embedded software, but leave practical challenges that organizations will need to navigate to comply with cross-border requirements, say lawyers at King & Spalding.

  • 5 Ways To Address The Legal Risks Of Employee AI Use

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    Employees’ use of unauthorized artificial intelligence tools has become a regulatory issue, and in-house legal counsel are best placed to close the gap between governance controls and innovation, mitigating the risk of organizations' exposure to noncompliance with European Union and U.K. data protection requirements, say lawyers at MoFo.

  • EU-US Data Transfer Ruling Offers Reassurance To Cos.

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    The European Union General Court’s recent upholding of the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework in Latombe v. European Commission, although subject to appeal, provides companies with legal certainty for the first time by allowing the transfer of European Economic Area personal data without relying on alternative mechanisms, say lawyers at Wilson Sonsini.

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