Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 06 DECEMBER 2006

Two Home Wins For Wayne Rooney

Bristows LLP
Bristows LLP
Contributor
Bristows LLP

Bristows LLP

We are Bristows, the world’s leading specialist law firm for clients that innovate. We are a London...

View firm profile
Explore more from Bristows LLP

Both Nominet and WIPO have recently upheld complaints by footballer Wayne Rooney and Stoneygate 48 Limited, a company wholly owned by him, against the registration of the domain names waynerooney.co.uk and waynerooney.com (respectively), and ordered the transfer of the domain names to Stoneygate (which owns all the intellectual property rights in the Wayne Rooney name and image).

United KingdomIntellectual Property
Sally Dunstan
Sally Dunstan

Both Nominet and WIPO have recently upheld complaints by footballer Wayne Rooney and Stoneygate 48 Limited, a company wholly owned by him, against the registration of the domain names waynerooney.co.uk and waynerooney.com (respectively), and ordered the transfer of the domain names to Stoneygate (which owns all the intellectual property rights in the Wayne Rooney name and image).

The respondent registered the domain names in April 2002, having recognised the potential of the then Everton Football Club youth team player. He intended to establish a non-commercial fan site under the domain name. The site was never established and the domain name led to an independent directory of sponsored links.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

AI, Deepfakes And Image Rights: Does English Law Protect Your Face, Voice And Likeness?

Generative AI has created a legal vacuum where synthetic images and deepfakes can be created and shared without consent, yet English law offers no standalone "image right" to protect individuals. With celebrities like Lisa Riley and over 80 performers demanding reform, the question is whether the UK's patchwork of intellectual property, data protection, and common law protections can adequately address this rapidly evolving threat to personal autonomy and reputation.
United KingdomIntellectual Property
Mills & Reeve LLP
Mills & Reeve LLP
Article

The Sound Of Ownership: Why AI Voice Cloning Is Raising New IP Questions

As AI voice cloning technology becomes increasingly sophisticated and accessible, the Save Our Voices Now campaign calls for statutory rights allowing individuals to own and control their voice as intellectual property. This article examines whether existing UK law sufficiently protects one of our most personal and recognisable attributes, exploring copyright, trade marks, passing off, and the practical steps individuals and businesses can take.
United KingdomIntellectual Property
Ashfords LLP
Ashfords LLP
Article

High Court Clarifies The Limits Of Copyright Claims Against Online Marketplaces

The UK High Court has delivered a landmark ruling on online marketplace liability, dismissing Shein's copyright infringement claims against Temu and clarifying when platforms can be held responsible for third-party content. The judgment examines the boundaries of copyright ownership in complex supply chains and establishes important precedents for how marketplace operators should respond to infringement allegations.
United KingdomIntellectual Property
HGF Law
HGF Law
Article

The Manchester Creative Industries AI Summit – The Government's Opportunity To Set Out A Policy Direction On Copyright And AI?

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has convened the Creative Industries AI Summit in Manchester to bring together rightsholders, regulators, platforms and AI labs to align on a common approach to copyright-protected works in AI development. The Summit will unveil the 'Manchester Principles', a framework establishing minimum conditions for using human creative work to train generative AI models.
United KingdomIntellectual Property
Lewis Silkin
Lewis Silkin
Article

UPC CoA Confirms Jurisdiction Over Pending European Patent Application

The UPC Court of Appeal has confirmed that the Unified Patent Court can exercise jurisdiction over European patent applications, provided they are granted before the defendant files their statement of defence. This landmark decision means patent holders may now be locked into the UPC system even before their patents are officially granted, fundamentally changing the strategic timing considerations for opting out of UPC jurisdiction.
United KingdomIntellectual Property
HGF Law
HGF Law
Article

Spotlight On Agentic AI | Liability

As businesses increasingly deploy agentic AI systems capable of autonomous decision-making and actions, questions arise about supplier liability when AI agents malfunction or produce unexpected results. This article examines the contractual frameworks governing agentic AI relationships, revealing how standard IT contracts may inadequately address the unique risks of autonomous AI systems and exploring strategies for customers to better protect themselves against potential losses from AI agent failures.
United KingdomCorporate/Commercial Law
Bristows LLP
Bristows LLP
Article

SAS Institute Inc v. World Programming Limited The ECJ Reference And Potential Implications For Software Licensors

The proceedings between SAS Institute Inc ("SAS") and World Programming Limited, ("WPL") which led to an extensive judgment from Mr Justice Arnold in July 2010, have resulted in nine questions, principally relating to the interpretation of the Software Directive, being referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union ("ECJ").
United KingdomIntellectual Property
Bristows LLP
Bristows LLP