The UK Intellectual Property Office has released new guidance for examining patent applications involving computer-implemented inventions and AI, marking a significant shift away from the longstanding Aerotel test. This change aligns UK patent examination more closely with European Patent Office practices while maintaining distinct differences in how inventive step is assessed, potentially impacting how technical contributions are evaluated for AI and software inventions.

It's now over 30 years since I joined the patent attorney profession. When I started, there were relatively few female patent attorneys, partly due to much lower numbers of women studying...

Transport for London's extensive trade mark portfolio protects everything from the iconic Underground roundel to the famous "Mind the Gap" announcement.

In life we tend to do all we can to avoid failure, but I can say from my experience as a patent attorney that failures, and problems that need to be solved, often lead to inventions.

We speak to JE to learn what he thinks makes a good trade mark paralegal, discuss current client challenges and talk about his career plans for the future.

June is celebrated worldwide as Pride Month. It is a time to commemorate the progress made in the LGBTQ+ community and reflect on the challenges that lie ahead.

Last year, we published an article looking at some of the IP issues raised by CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology. One of these issues concerned the battles over the ownership of certain fundamental patents.

The World has changed; we can be certain that in an age where generative AI has become readily available to scientists, engineers and creatives, the prospects for potential leaps in innovation seem boundless.

The Nice Classification, established in 1957 and managed by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), divides goods and services for trade mark specifications into 45 classes.

Metamaterials - materials whose functionality and properties arise not as inherent features of their constituent materials, but due to an artificially-engineered structure - are particularly apt for patent protection.

Thatchers, a renowned family-owned cider producer based in Somerset, launched its Cloudy Lemon Cider in 2020. In 2022, Aldi introduced its own Taurus Cloudy Lemon Cider...

The global shortage of semiconductor chips is one of the longer-lasting consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Delays in supplying chips are currently as long as a year in some industries, and analysts predict that things may not return to normal until 2024.

On 30 January 2025, the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) published an update to the guidelines for examining patent applications relating to artificial intelligence...

The UK Court of Appeal has ruled that artificial neural networks (ANNs) should be treated like any other computer-implemented inventions in terms of patentability, aligning with EPO guidelines. The court emphasized that patents are only granted for inventions with a technical contribution, not merely for software functions like financial trading systems, even if ANNs are involved. The ruling reiterates that non-technical systems, regardless of ANNs, are not patentable.

Crowdfunding is an increasingly popular method for a company to raise funds to get a new product off the ground. This is particularly prevalent for small businesses and start-ups within the lifestyle and wellness sectors.

The consultation describes how AI has and can play a positive role in the development of innovation and new technology.

The UK Government has announced a £2 billion procurement programme to support the UK’s national quantum technology infrastructure.

In April 2023, the European Commission introduced a proposal for a regulation on standard essential patents (SEPs), aiming to create a more transparent and efficient framework for SEP licensing within the EU.

The CPTPP grew out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) which did not enter into force after the US withdrew.

The UK IPO's July 17, 2024, Tribunal Practice Note mandates that trademark specification restrictions in Tribunal proceedings be clear, precise, and relevant, complicating settlements and requiring professional guidance to avoid refusal.