Intellectual Property

Corked! Trade Mark Application for ‘McBaileys’ Opposed

The makers of Bailey’s (the delicious Irish cream liqueur that goes down like water) have successfully opposed a trade mark application from Childrens Cancer Aid Limited (CCAL) for ‘McBaileys’. R…

IMDb credits in the Intellectual Property and Enterprise Court

The IMDb (Internet Movie Database), as the name suggests, is an online database of information relating to films, TV and online content. It claims to be the world’s most popular…

Fighting against counterfeit items – can online marketplaces be held directly responsible for their sellers’ IP infringement?

Under UK and EU, the act of selling, advertise, stock, offer goods carrying a sign identical or similar to a registered sign amount to infringement. Even when the law is…

IP Audit For Start-Ups

Every business owns some form of intellectual property (IP). IP encompasses various forms and generally includes five areas: Trade marks protect brand names, logos, etc.; Copyright protects various original creations…

You meme there’s a risk of copyright infringement when I use a meme?

Thanks to social media, it is becoming extremely difficult to get through a day without coming across a meme, and there seems to be an appropriate meme for every occasion.…

Different Domain Dispute Decisions: back to basics

A requirement of most domain name dispute resolution procedures is that the complainant (the person bringing the complaint) must have trade mark rights in the disputed domain name. In “DRS”…

Cats, noodles and a bit of bad luck

It is often said that cats have 9 lives however this doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re lucky. This was found to be the case by the owners of a new…

The good, the bad and the infringement risks associated with upcycling branded goods

As I was scrolling through Instagram (as you do), I came across a fascinating video of a lady who turned a disposable shopping bag from a high-end luxury brand into…

Burberry v Baneberry

The world-renowned British fashion chain Burberry has recently secured a rarely granted injunction in China restraining a competitor from using similar trade marks to its brand. Background The case was…

Classic Copyright Cases – The Beach Boys

I can remember hearing The Beach Boys way back when I was but a youngster. It was long before the days of Coronavirus and being equipped with a mask whenever…

US theme park accuses Taylor Swift of Trade Mark Infringement

Taylor Swift may be a successful chart-topping songstress, but the ‘Shake it Off’ popstress cannot seem to shake off her legal issues. You may recall, not long ago (July 2020,…

Intellectual Property – The Star Asset Clubs Are Trying to Sign

Footballers need to be paid more money, said no one. But the commercialisation of Intellectual Property Rights, namely image rights and trade marks, is providing a lucrative revenue stream for…

LGBT History Month is here!

February is LGBT History Month. It was started in the US in 1994 and today it is observed as a celebration of LGBT people and a commemoration of the history…

What’s going on with copyright in tattoos, graffiti, and emerging art?

Gone are the days when street art and body art were seen as a bit ‘out there’. Countless celebrities in music, fashion and sport have signature body art that often…

Domain Disputes: don’t go there if you’re divorcing

We have spoken about the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) previously but cutting to the chase: it is a cost effective way to resolve issues relating to the…

THE DAVID AND GOLIATH OF FASHION: A FIGHTING BACK TALE

Now more than ever, emerging designers are victims of fast-fashion companies, which scout talents via social media and reproduce their designs for a quarter of their original price.

Do I need a music lawyer in 2022?

With the uncertainty and sheer chaos 2020 seemed to bring, the question of whether you need to hire a music lawyer to help with your project is probably not at the top of your list.

Brexit and trade marks – a reminder

Brexit is back, actually it never left, and the end of the UK’s transition period (31 December 2020) is almost upon us

Trade secrets – the black sheep in the IP family

The best way to exercise control over trade secrets and confidential information is to ensure that robust contracts are in place with all stakeholders who are involved in the creation, development or use of such information

Classic Copyright Cases – The Beatles

This month I’ll be talking about a dispute involving music goliaths The Beatles and rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry.

A new way of exploiting your Intellectual Property

Harry Styles fans who could not afford colourful cardigan he sported, set about knitting their own with the full support of pattern designer.

Black History Month and Intellectual Property

With Black History Month coming to a close we celebrate the excellent Black British artists who continue to mould and enhance our cultural landscape.

Patents, Poltergeists and Copyright Creeps

The spooky season is well and truly upon us. In this article, we discuss some common intellectual property issues that a designer preparing for Halloween might face.

Nominet Dispute Resolution Service

The people at Nominet are lovely, recently they reported that they take care of 10,829,109 “.uk” domains, but besides taking care of so many domains they also provide a relatively cost and time effective forum for .uk domain disputes.