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ARTICLE · 08 AUGUST 2025

Life After Skykick: UKIPO Issued New Guidelines

K&L Gates
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UKIPO examiners are now actively assessing whether or not the specifications of goods and services are "manifestly and self-evidently broad".

United StatesIntellectual Property
Serena Totino
Serena Totino
Rianna Prince
Rianna Prince

Following the Sky v SkyKick judgement, issued in December 2024, the UKIPO has now issued a practice note providing applicants with guidance on drafting and filing trade mark applications in the UK. Sky v SkyKick highlighted that filing an application for unduly broad specifications of goods and services with no genuine intention to use the mark can constitute bad faith and applicants are now provided with the tools to avoid the most common pitfalls.

Changes to UKIPO Examination Practice

UKIPO examiners are now actively assessing whether or not the specifications of goods and services are "manifestly and self-evidently broad". Most importantly, examiners may now issue bad-faith objections at the examination stage, as there is no requirement to wait for third party objections. Upon receiving the examination report, applicants will have the standard two-month window to respond and they can either restrict the objected goods and services or provide arguments and

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