Intellectual Property UK

  • October 15, 2025

    Trading Platform Defends 'BrokerTec' EU TM Hopes

    A Spanish electronics wholesaler has lost its attempt to shut down a trading platform's "BrokerTec" European Union trademark application, failing to show that consumers could mix up the sign with its earlier "Brokertech" registration.

  • October 15, 2025

    European IP Office Rejects Chinese Applicant's 'Airsky' TM

    Sky has convinced European officials to reject a Chinese entrepreneur's trademark application for Airsky, after showing that consumers looking at the rival's electronic tablets, computer keyboards and microphones would think it was a new line of Sky products.

  • October 15, 2025

    Supplement Maker Loses Dutch Bid To Block Rival's TM Use

    The Dutch Supreme Court has denied a supplement maker's bid to stop a rival manufacturer from using the "Leef Vitaal" trademark, ruling that it should have claimed the name infringed its "Lucovitaal" brand over a decade ago.

  • October 15, 2025

    Iceland Supermarket Revives Bid To Ax Kebab Supplier's TM

    Grocery giant Iceland urged an appeals court Wednesday to revoke a kebab meat supplier's trademark, arguing that the visual representation of the mark is inconsistent with its description.

  • October 15, 2025

    GSK Fights Pfizer's Bid To Nix COVID-19 Vaccine Patents

    GlaxoSmithKline has denied Pfizer and BioNTech's claims that its patents protecting key processes in the manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines should be nixed, arguing that they were infringing its IP through the sale of the Comirnaty jab.

  • October 14, 2025

    Creole Records Defends Rights To Bunny Lee Reggae Catalog

    German media giant BMG has fought back against allegations that it has failed to exploit and promote the music of dead reggae producer Bunny "Striker" Lee under a licensing deal, arguing that the owner of the song catalog was actually stealing its revenue. 

  • October 14, 2025

    Royal Mail Wins Postcode Data IP Claim

    Royal Mail Group has convinced a London court that software company Codeberry infringed its database and copyright by obtaining protected postcode data without permission to build up a competing address finder.

  • October 14, 2025

    Sinocare Challenges Abbott's Glucose Monitor Patents

    Chinese medical device maker Sinocare has denied Abbott's allegations that it is infringing two patents protecting technology that continuously monitors glucose levels in diabetes patients, arguing that the patents were invalid.

  • October 14, 2025

    Chinese Research Body Says Gilead Infringed COVID Patent

    A Chinese military medical research institute has accused Gilead at a London court of infringing its patent for a COVID-19 treatment, hitting back at the biopharmaceutical company's recent attempt to void its protections.

  • October 14, 2025

    UPC Expands Appellate Panel As Case Volume Grows

    Europe's patent court has said it will set up a third appellate panel in January to better address a steady rise in its caseload, months after it marked its second anniversary. 

  • October 13, 2025

    Crochet Kit Seller Denies Knowingly Infringing US Rival's IP

    A crochet kit retailer has denied it deliberately infringed a U.S. rival's copyright by displaying a set of product photographs on its website, telling a London court that it did not know the images had any intellectual property protections.

  • October 13, 2025

    Energy Data Co. Says Info Supply Cut-Off Was Justified

    An energy data supplier owned by a consortium of British power companies has denied unfairly cutting off an energy startup, arguing that it refused to supply data because the startup repeatedly breached its deal by sharing data with third parties.

  • October 13, 2025

    Marriott Unit Blocks Polish Manufacturer's 'W' EU TM Bid

    A subsidiary of Marriott has persuaded European Union officials to deny a request from a Polish company for a "W" trademark, proving that there is a risk of confusion with the "W" logo for its W Hotels brand.

  • October 13, 2025

    Kirkland-Led Warburg Pincus To Buy Software Co. For €700M

    Private equity group Warburg Pincus LLC said Monday it has agreed to buy PSI, a German software company, for approximately €702 million ($812 million), to increase its presence in the growing global energy and industrial technology sector.

  • October 13, 2025

    Biosimilar Fights Regeneron Bid To Block Eye Treatment

    A specialist in biosimilar medicine has pushed back against Regeneron's requests for an injunction, arguing that forcing it to destroy its biosimilar version of a blockbuster eye medicine would be "inappropriate" as it has prepared to launch once Regeneron's IP protections expire.  

  • October 10, 2025

    Execs Can Rest Easier After Director Liability Ruling At UPC

    Managing directors can breathe a sigh of relief after the Unified Patent Court's long-awaited guidance on when to rope executives into patent infringement claims endorsed the cautious approach adopted by many European courts.

  • October 10, 2025

    Dish Streaming Patent Fight Sent To Utah For Witnesses' Ease

    A case brought by Pornhub's owner seeking a declaration that it did not infringe three of Dish Technologies LLC's patents could likely be litigated more conveniently in Utah, a Delaware federal judge has said in transferring the suit.

  • October 10, 2025

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen Paddington Bear's creators and Studio Canal sue the company behind Spitting Image, Blackpool Football Club's former owner Owen Oyston bring a fresh claim against the club, and Mishcon de Reya sue a Saudi investment group.

  • October 10, 2025

    Paddington Bear Wins Injunction Against Knockoff Souvenirs

    The owner of Paddington Bear has won a temporary injunction against a London souvenir distributor it has accused of copyright infringement, weeks before it is set to launch a new musical.

  • October 10, 2025

    Imperial Brands Voids Philip Morris' Heated-Tobacco Patent

    A patent for heated tobacco belonging to Philip Morris has gone up in smoke following a challenge from an Imperial Brands subsidiary, with a European appeals panel ruling in a decision released Friday that the tech isn't inventive.

  • October 10, 2025

    Cigar Maker Leaves BAT's 'On Button' TM In Ashes

    British American Tobacco has lost its trademark for an "on button" icon that signifies flavor capsules within its products, failing to satisfy European Union officials that its ownership of a patent for the system shows that the sign is distinctive.

  • October 09, 2025

    Top IP Alliance Calls For 'Balanced' UK SEP Reform

    One of the largest representative bodies for the U.K. intellectual property industry has urged the government to take a "balanced" and "proportionate" approach to its sweeping plans to reform the country's standard-essential patent framework.

  • October 09, 2025

    Sun Pharma Attacks Incyte Patents In Alopecia Drug Battle

    An Indian generic-drug maker has asked a London court to nix Incyte's patents for a blockbuster drug treating autoimmune conditions, as the rival plans to launch a hair loss treatment that would compete with its own alopecia treatments.  

  • October 09, 2025

    Broker Ardonagh Loses Challenge To Music Platform TM

    European officials have rejected a bid by a unit of global insurance broker The Ardonagh Group to nix a trademark application by an American music teaching platform after ruling the average consumer would not mix up the two signs.

  • October 09, 2025

    Microsoft Inks License To Exit Video Coding IP Dispute

    Via LA has said that Microsoft has entered into a licensing agreement to use the technology in its video coding patent pool, bringing down the curtain on an infringement claim in Germany from multiple licensors within the scheme.

Expert Analysis

  • 5 Ways To Address The Legal Risks Of Employee AI Use

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    Employees’ use of unauthorized artificial intelligence tools has become a regulatory issue, and in-house legal counsel are best placed to close the gap between governance controls and innovation, mitigating the risk of organizations' exposure to noncompliance with European Union and U.K. data protection requirements, say lawyers at MoFo.

  • Between The Lines Of EPO's Adoption Of Color Drawings

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    The European Patent Office's decision to accept patent drawings in color starting in October may enhance clarity in technical disclosures and streamline the examination process, and could also enable new patent filing strategies for international applicants, say attorneys at Miller Canfield.

  • How WTO's Anti-Suit Injunction Ruling Affects IP Stakeholders

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    The World Trade Organization's recent ruling in favor of the European Union's challenge to Chinese courts' anti-suit injunction practices should hearten holders of standard-essential patents, while implementers can take solace that they retain mechanisms to distinguish the WTO decision when seeking anti-suit injunctions in U.S. courts, says Michael Franzinger at Dentons.

  • How Logo Confusion Ruling Expands TM Protection

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    The U.K. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Iconix v. Dream Pairs confirms that postsale confusion is actionable in trademark infringement claims, and also warns appellate courts to not rewrite lower courts' factual analyses, say lawyers at Morgan Lewis.

  • IP Considerations As UK Maintains Exhaustion Regime

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    The U.K. government's decision to keep its existing regime of exhaustion of intellectual property rights means IP owners should review their existing and new European distribution agreements to account for the different regimes in the U.K. and European Union, says Rebecca Anderson-Smith at Mewburn Ellis.

  • EPO Ruling On Claim Interpretation Will Have Broad Impact

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    The European Patent Office Enlarged Board of Appeal’s recent decision, finding that the description and drawings in a patent should always be consulted to interpret claims, will fundamentally change how the EPO interprets patent claims in both examination and opposition proceedings, say lawyers at Finnegan.

  • Fashion IP Lessons From UK Design Rights Ruling

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    The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court’s recent ruling in Edwards v. Boohoo.com illustrates the challenges that independent designers face when attempting to enforce unregistered design rights in an era dominated by fast fashion, while also highlighting the utility of the IPEC, say lawyers at Finnegan.

  • Should Patent Disputes Be Filed In The ITC Or UPC?

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    When companies must choose between initiating patent litigation in the U.S. International Trade Commission or the European Union's Unified Patent Court, the ITC may offer a few distinct advantages, but ultimately the decision requires consideration of case-specific factors, say attorneys at White & Case.

  • Prospects And Challenges For Expert Evidence At The UPC

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    Expert testimony on economic or damages-related issues will likely play a larger part in Unified Patent Court proceedings in the near future, potentially presenting unique challenges for experts, counsel and judges alike, say analysts at Charles River.

  • Strategies For Litigating In The Unified Patent Court

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    Since opening its gates two years ago, the European Unified Patent Court has transformed the patent litigation landscape and global litigation strategies, but parties seeking to take advantage of the court's robust processes must be prepared for the front-loaded character of UPC proceedings, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Incorporating UKIPO Guidance Into AI Patent Strategies

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    Updated guidance from the U.K. Intellectual Property Office sheds light on how it assesses patents for artificial intelligence inventions and highlights approaches that improve applicants' options for demonstrating that AI provides a technical contribution, say lawyers at Finnegan.

  • Clarity On Knotty Patent Jurisdiction Questions From CJEU

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    The recent ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union in BSH v. Electrolux sheds light on how the jurisdiction of the Unified Patent Court competes with that of the EU member state courts over infringement and validity actions, and could extend international jurisdiction of the EU courts in several ways, say lawyers at August Debouzy.

  • Opinion

    UK Court Of Appeal's FRAND Ruling Is Troubling

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    The U.K. Court of Appeal's recent decision in Optis v. Apple disregards a lower court's extensive factual findings and contradicts its own precedent regarding fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms for cellular patents, says Enrico Bonadio at the University of London.

  • What Businesses Need To Know About EU Design Law Reform

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    Recent reforms to European Union design protection law will broaden the scope of what constitutes protected designs and products, likely creating new opportunities and considerations for businesses operating within the EU or those engaging with its markets, say lawyers at Foley & Lardner.

  • What Latest VC Model Document Revisions Offer UK Investors

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    Recent updates to the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association model documents, reflecting prevailing U.K. market practice on early-stage equity financing terms and increasing focus on compliance issues, provide needed protection for investors in relation to the growth in global foreign direct investment regimes, say lawyers at Davis Polk.

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