The highly popular social networking site Facebook is allowing its users to register their own subdomain (for example www.facebook.com/yourbrand).

Claims arising out of delay in diagnosing and treating cancer tend to be more common than those concerning the standard of care provided once a diagnosis has been made.

Hospital Superbug’ MRSA is seldom out of the news. The press frequently reports cases of patients infected by this organism, usually with reference to how dirty the hospital was and how no cleaners were seen for the entirety of the patient’s stay. Nevertheless, successful litigation arising from MRSA infection is rare.

The Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, has announced a shake-up in the assessment of doctors which is set to be the biggest change to the regulation of the medical profession in 150 years.

The owner of the well-known furniture brand "IKEA" was recently unsuccessful in its attempts to invalidate registration of the trade mark "idea", which was also registered in the European Community in relation to furniture.

"We’re getting a bit like America now, aren’t we?" This fairly typical dinner party question arises from a perception that the country is in the grip of a ‘compensation culture’ where damages can be claimed regardless of blame.

Following extensive debate and lobbying, the NHS Redress Act 2006 received Royal Assent last November and now provides the framework under which the Secretary of State for Health will set up an NHS redress scheme to come into force in or after April 2008. A second period of consultation on the scheme is taking place during 2007.

When an individual recovers significant damages for personal injuries, the court must ensure that careful consideration is given to whether those damages are awarded as a conventional lump sum or as ongoing periodical payments.

In personal injury and clinical negligence cases, the need for claimants to mitigate their losses often arises in respect of medical treatment.

Most of us in the United Kingdom are extremely familiar with the "MAESTRO" trade mark. It is the leading debit-card brand in the UK, and is more than likely emblazoned on a card tucked away in many of our wallets.

In two recent cases before the High Court, Arnold J has referred the following matters to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for guidance.

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 came into force on 26 May. They target rogue traders but also require all businesses - whether trading on-line, on the high street or via telephone – to treat consumers fairly.

Intellectual property rights are often used as security for loans from banks and others lending to or investing in a business.

This update is one in a series of publications produced by the Private Individuals Division of Penningtons Solicitors LLP. If you would like further details on any of the subjects covered, please contact us.

The recent decision of the High Court in Wilson vs (1) Yahoo! UK Limited and (2) Overture Services Limited [2008] EWHC 361 (Ch) has shed some light on the issue of whether key word marketing is trade mark infringement.

Directors previously had a common law fiduciary duty to avoid placing themselves in situations where their interests, or the interests of a third party whom they represented, conflicted or potentially conflicted with the interests of their company.

The recent case of Cureton -v- Mark Insulations Limited highlights the importance of robust contracts when using agents to expand your sales network. It is dangerous to assume that any database created by an agent belongs to the company which engages him, as Mark Insulations found out to its detriment.

UK citizens with property in France should consider tax planning in relation to their French property carefully, particularly in light of recent developments.

One such site is Facebook. With 40 million registered users worldwide, it has attracted the attentions of businesses and for good reason: these sites offer a seductive cocktail of market research, advertising, branding and PR, delivered in one manageable "profile". Unsurprisingly, this raises a host of legal issues.

As a response to growing concern over copyright infringement, Parliament passed the Digital Economy Act 2010 in April this year.