Intellectual Property UK

  • March 10, 2026

    EU Lawmakers Back New Copyright Rules For AI Development

    The European Parliament backed proposals on Tuesday that could require artificial intelligence developers across the world to adhere to a strict new regime of copyright protections when training their tools using protected works.

  • March 10, 2026

    US Chipmaker Denies Stealing Chinese IP In Political Row

    U.S. chip manufacturer Micron has denied infringing a Chinese rival's patents in a long-running squabble over technology vital for running artificial intelligence tools, claiming it had been developing its own devices before the rival registered its intellectual property.

  • March 10, 2026

    Paul Weiss-Guided GSK To License Liver Drug For $690M

    GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to license its experimental liver disease drug linerixibat to Italian pharmaceutical company Alfasigma, which focuses on serious liver conditions, for up to $690 million.

  • March 09, 2026

    UK Publishers To Collectively License Works To AI Developers

    A collecting society for publishers invited its members on Tuesday to join a scheme that will collectively license published works to artificial intelligence developers in exchange for payment.

  • March 09, 2026

    UPC Asks Top EU Court To Rule On Extra-Territorial Reach

    The Unified Patent Court has asked the European Union's top court to clarify when companies outside the court's jurisdiction may be targeted in infringement claims, as the new patents court looks to test the limits of the forum.

  • March 09, 2026

    Mr. Olympia Unit Outmuscles Bodybuilding Biz's 'Hercules' TM

    The company behind the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding contest has convinced European officials to block a rival's bid to trademark "Hercules Olympia," finding that fans would be likely to think it was tied to the long-running men's competition. 

  • March 09, 2026

    Sign Maker Sues Rival For Exploiting Starbucks Designs

    A British signwriting service has accused a former project manager of copying technical drawings made for Starbucks and using them to help his new employer hijack multiple projects, costing it more than £2 million ($2.7 million).

  • March 09, 2026

    No More 'Mr Nice' TM After Famed Smuggler's Heirs Lose Spat

    The heirs of Britain's most famous drug smuggler have lost two trademarks over "Mr. Nice" after failing to prove they had genuinely used the nickname for Howard Marks to market their legal cannabis products, European officials have ruled.

  • March 06, 2026

    CORRECTED: OnlyFans Software Biz Can't Stop Rival's Clients Using 'Scraped' Data

    A London court has refused to block clients of an OnlyFans software provider from accessing data that the company allegedly took from a rival during a cyberattack, citing the practical difficulties of a blanket injunction.

  • March 06, 2026

    Lords Call Again For Strong IP Protections Against AI

    Peers have once again called for the introduction of significant restrictions on artificial intelligence companies to protect the rights of creatives, as the government remains silent on the topic of AI and copyright.

  • March 06, 2026

    Retailer Drops Appeal Over Store Shelf Patent Dispute

    Dutch company Black Sheep has asked to withdraw its appeal over a Unified Patent Court decision that it was infringing a rival U.K. retailer's patent over a system to firmly secure shelf accessories on store shelves, as the parties appeared to be negotiating a potential settlement. 

  • March 06, 2026

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

    This past week in London has seen British American Tobacco sued by more than 100 investors, the government bring a claim against a COVID-19 supplier of personal protective equipment, Annington Funding sue its new corporate trustees on the Financial List, and Piers Morgan hit with a defamation claim from a pro-Israel barrister he interviewed on his YouTube channel. 

  • March 06, 2026

    UPC Taps Senior Italian Judge For Court Of Appeal

    The Unified Patent Court named a senior Italian judge on Friday as its replacement for an outgoing judge at the Court of Appeal, bringing experience from the Supreme Court of Italy to its bench.

  • March 05, 2026

    Shein Must Share Supplier List Amid Copyright Dispute

    Shein lost its bid in the Court of Appeal on Thursday to overturn an order compelling it to hand over a list of its top suppliers to Temu, with the court finding that there were no exceptional circumstances that justify limiting disclosure.

  • March 05, 2026

    Furniture Biz Drops UPC Case After Patent Challenged At EPO

    A Dutch company that sells purpose-built washing machine cabinets has dropped its infringement claim against a rival at the Unified Patent Court shortly after its protections came under fire at the European Patent Office.

  • March 05, 2026

    Hisense Settles UPC Dispute Over Picture Decoding Patent

    Chinese TV maker Hisense has settled Japanese electronics company JVCKENWOOD's claims that it was infringing a patent over a picture-decoding method and device, just a month after settling a similar case with Nokia.

  • March 05, 2026

    Events Biz Founder Denies Stealing Secrets For Rival Venture

    The founder of a business that runs events in the mobile network industry has denied stealing confidential information while scheming to form a competitor, telling a London court that she always acted in the company's best interests.

  • March 05, 2026

    Swiss Cycling Biz Can't Ax Chinese Carmaker's 'Scoox' TM

    Cycling brand Scott Sports has failed to block an automaker's "Scoox" trademark after British officials ruled that consumers are unlikely to confuse the brands as those interested in cars would naturally choose a dealership over a sports shop.

  • March 04, 2026

    EasyGroup Fails To Prove 'EasyOffice' TM Use For Telecoms

    European officials have refused to reinstate easyGroup's "easyOffice" trademark for telecommunications, concluding that the low-cost airline owner's promotion of broadband services to office rentals wasn't enough to merit protection.

  • March 04, 2026

    US Filmmakers Can't Cash In On Dutch Broadcasts

    A Dutch court blocked filmmakers in the U.S. from claiming payment for broadcasts of their work in the Netherlands, ruling Wednesday that the writers and directors routinely assign their copyrights to film studios under U.S. law.

  • March 04, 2026

    Shein Denies Retailer Owns Copyright In Influencer Posts

    Fast fashion giant Shein has denied infringing a clothing retail brand's copyright by replicating more than 500 photographs in digital adverts and listings on its U.K. website. 

  • March 04, 2026

    Microsoft Loses Appeal For Spreadsheet Program Patent

    Microsoft has lost its bid to patent a spreadsheet program that allows data objects to float after European officials held that its distinguishing feature was a "minor and obvious modification" of an earlier Excel spreadsheet application. 

  • March 04, 2026

    Viatris Unit Can't Ax Patent For Anemia Drug Evrenzo

    Viatris, Teva and Sandoz have lost their challenge to a rival's European patent for anemia drug Evrenzo, failing to convince an appeals panel that the treatment is not inventive enough to merit protection.

  • March 03, 2026

    Roche Gives Up On Bid To Patent Cancer Fusion Gene Tool

    European officials have revoked Roche's patent over a process for detecting hybrid genes associated with certain cancers after the pharmaceutical giant said it "no longer approved" of the text, handing an inadvertent win to an anonymous opponent.

  • March 03, 2026

    AI Music Co. Loses Bid For UK Patent Over Software Rule

    The U.K. Intellectual Property Office has rejected a patent application filed by AI music company DAACI, ruling that the company's digital music generation invention should not receive patent protections as it was a "program for a computer."

Expert Analysis

  • How The UPC, ITC Complement Each Other In Patent Law

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    Attorneys at Ropes & Gray discuss the similarities and differences between the Unified Patent Court and the International Trade Commission, as well as recent matters litigated in both venues and why parties choose to file at these forums.

  • Rowing Machine IP Loss Waters Down Design Protections

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    The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court's recent judgment dismissing WaterRower's claim that its wooden rowing machines were works of artistic craftsmanship highlights divergence between U.K. and European Union copyright law, and signals a more stringent approach to protecting designs in a post-Brexit U.K., say lawyers at Finnegan.

  • Takeaways From EU's Draft AI Code Of Practice

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    The European Union AI Office’s recently published first draft of the General-Purpose AI Code of Practice sheds some welcome light on which Artificial Intelligence Act compliance issues the office finds particularly knotty and, importantly, acknowledges where further guidance will be necessary, say lawyers at Akin.

  • The Rising Tide Of EU Antitrust Enforcement In Pharma

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    The European Commission’s recent record-breaking €463 million fine of Teva for abusing its dominant position confirms that European Union competition law enforcement in the pharmaceutical sector remains a priority, with infringements drawing serious financial exposure, say lawyers at Cooley.

  • What The Future Of AI In Financial Services Looks Like

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    Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the global financial services industry, with a hybrid model likely to evolve where AI handles routine tasks and humans focus on strategy and decision-making, so financial institutions should work with regulators to establish ethical standards and meet regulatory expectations without stifling innovation, say lawyers at Womble Bond.

  • The EU Design System Changes US Cos. Need To Know About

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    With a number of major reforms to the European Union's design protection system set to take effect in the first half of 2025, U.S. companies need to stay informed about specific details to maintain effective intellectual property management in the EU market, say lawyers at Finnegan.

  • What New Int'l Treaty Means For Global AI Regulation

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    Lawyers at Bird & Bird consider how global artificial intelligence regulation will be affected by the first international AI treaty recently signed by the U.S., EU and U.K., as well as its implications for business and several issues that stakeholders should be aware of.

  • HMRC Transfer Pricing Guide A Vital Resource For Businesses

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    HM Revenue & Customs' recent guidelines on common transfer pricing compliance risks should be required reading for affected businesses in indicating HMRC's expected benchmark for documents and policies, say Tomoko Ikawa and Kapisha Vyas at Simmons & Simmons.

  • Comparing Apples To Oranges In EPO Claim Interpretation

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    A referral before the Enlarged Board of Appeal could fundamentally change the role that descriptions play in claims interpretation at the European Patent Office, altering best drafting practices for patent applications construed there, say lawyers at Finnegan.

  • Why India May Become A Major Patent Litigation Forum

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    India is reinventing itself with the goal of becoming a global hot spot for patent litigation, with recent developments at the Delhi High Court creating incentives for plaintiffs to assert patent rights in India, say Ranganath Sudarshan at Covington and IP litigator Udit Sood.

  • Takeaways From UPC's Amgen Patent Invalidity Analysis

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    The Unified Patent Court Central Division's decision in Regeneron v. Amgen to revoke a patent for lack of inventive step is particularly clear in its reasoning and highlights the risks to patentees of the new court's central revocation powers, say Jane Evenson and Caitlin Heard at CMS.

  • UK Approach To AI Patentability Appears Settled For Now

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    After a High Court ruling upended the status quo last year, the Court of Appeal’s recent decision that Emotional Perception’s artificial neural network is not patentable represents a return to the U.K.’s familiar, albeit often complex, approach to patentability of artificial intelligence technology and computer programs generally, say lawyers at Potter Clarkson.

  • AI Reforms Prompt Fintech Compliance Considerations

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    With the EU Artificial Intelligence Act's Aug. 1 enforcement, and the U.K.'s new plans to introduce AI reforms, fintech companies should consider how to best focus limited resources as they balance innovation and compliance, says Nicola Kerr-Shaw at Skadden.

  • 10 Ways To Manage AI Risks In Service Contracts

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    With the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act coming into force on Aug. 1 and introducing a new regulatory risk, and with AI technology continuing to develop at pace, parties to services arrangements should employ mechanisms now to build in flexibility and get on the front foot, says James Longster at Travers Smith.

  • What Future May Hold For AI Innovation In UK Under Labour

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    Labour’s recent King's Speech was notable in its absence of discussion of a comprehensive artificial intelligence bill, and while this may indicate to many that the UK is open for business, the party’s approach to cross-sectoral engagement will be critical for shaping Britain's AI landscape in the near term, says Alexander Amato-Cravero at Herbert Smith.

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