The High Court's decision in Unicorn Studio Inc v Veronese emphasizes fairness in assessing costs in UK trade mark disputes. The court ruled in favor of Unicorn Studio Inc, awarding them full costs, underscoring the financial implications and strategic considerations in trade mark litigation.

Lazy Oaf is one of our favourite clients who is anything but lazy or oafish. Launched more than 15 years ago by Gemma Shiel, Lazy Oaf makes colourful clothes and accessories...

Earlier this month the UK Intellectual Property Office released a series of guides setting out the most important factors to consider when expanding your intellectual property rights internationally.

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) is the official government body with responsibility for intellectual property (IP) rights.

The UKIPO's updated Design Practice Note clarifies that design applications must focus on a single, unitary product, meaning components must work cohesively. Applications featuring unrelated items will be rejected, but division or disclaimers may resolve objections.

This year, the European Patent Office (EPO) granted three new patents to Carlsberg (EP2384110, EP2373154 and EP2575433) relating, broadly, to the harvest of kernels from barley plants...

If the 3 hurdles above can be overcome, there may be a right of action that could lead to an injunction, damages or both.

As is typical in publishing agreements, Duran Duran's deal with Gloucester Place Music Limited (part of EMI) included a worldwide assignment of rights in their songs for the duration of copyright...

The UK's Intellectual Property Office report highlights the challenges of trade mark protection in the metaverse, including defining protection scope, proving use in commerce, and managing international jurisdictional issues. Briffa offers expertise in navigating these complexities.

Registering a trade mark for your brand name and/or logo when you establish your business is crucial.

Commercial contracts are vital for stable business relationships, but careful review is essential. Key areas include correct party identification, termination provisions, warranties, liability limitations, intellectual property rights, confidentiality, governing law, and dispute jurisdiction. Legal advice is recommended for complex agreements.

Joint ownership of a UK registered trademark can benefit SMEs and creative businesses through shared rights and collaboration. However, it requires careful management, including clear agreements on use, revenue sharing, and dispute resolution, to avoid complications in enforcement and commercialization.

Before launching a new jewelry brand, address key legal considerations to secure intellectual property and increase business value. These include freelancer agreements, trademark registrations, design rights protection, and robust manufacturing agreements, especially for international operations.

The Star Wars brand was born in 1977 with the release of the first film in the series: simply, "Star Wars".

In the UK, trade mark applications may be refused if they are offensive or contrary to public policy under Section 3(3)(a) of the Trade Marks Act 1994, including references to illegal activities or deeply offensive content.

Cadbury argued that the four-finger bar had a dominant ‘KIT KAT' logo on it and it was this logo that acquired distinctiveness.

A UKIPO ruling highlights key principles for trademark invalidity actions: use registered trademarks consistently, and ensure strong evidence of use before pursuing opposition or invalidity challenges.

When it comes to copyright, the law tries to strike a balance between copyright protection and the public's interest in accessing and using creative works for various purposes.

The Employment and Industrial Relations Act (‘EIRA') regulates the powers of the Industrial Tribunal (‘Tribunal') in cases of dismissal.

Have you seen a business using a name similar to yours? Or does their logo look like yours? Or have you received a cease-and-desist letter and you're wondering what to do next?