Lewis Hamilton Fails To Qualify

Lewis Hamilton has lost his appeal against partial refusal to register his name as a trade mark in the EU. The Board of Appeal ("BoA") decided that he did not qualify for recognition as a famous person throughout the EU and there was a likelihood of confusion with an earlier EU registration for HAMILTON.

The background

Lewis Hamilton's management company, 44IP Ltd ("the applicant"), applied to register LEWIS HAMILTON for multiple goods and services, including Precious metals and their alloys; jewellery; precious stones; clocks; wrist watches; horological and chronometric instruments; coins; trinkets; key rings and fobs; works of art in precious metals; trophies, medals and awards in precious metals; parts, fittings and accessories for all the aforesaid, and the retailing, mail ordering and wholesaling of these items.