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Intellectual Property UK
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September 11, 2025
Sweeping UK Reforms A Mixed Bag For Simplifying Designs
Headline proposals by a government body to examine whether registered designs are novel and can potentially nix protection for computer-generated designs could run counter to the intended goal of simplifying the design system, lawyers say.
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September 11, 2025
Estée Lauder Unit Nixes Distributors' 'The O' TM
A company owned by cosmetics giant Estée Lauder has convinced European officials to nix a German distributor's trademark for "The O" over perfumed candles because shoppers might think it was linked to its brand called The Ordinary.
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September 11, 2025
Berlin Subway Operator Beats Challenge To Jingle TM
Berlin's main public transportation operator has convinced a European court that its jingle deserves trademark protection after a previous bid failed, because the two-second melody was a striking sequence that the public would remember and recognize.
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September 10, 2025
Nina Ricci Beats 'Nina Menorca' EU Cosmetics TM
A Spanish cosmetics heavyweight has convinced European officials to nix a company's trademark application for "nina Menorca," after showing that shoppers might believe there was a link to its Nina Ricci brand.
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September 10, 2025
Glenmark Generic Blocked In Netherlands Over Early Launch
Novartis has convinced a Dutch court to stop Glenmark from making or selling a generic medication used to treat low blood platelet levels in the Netherlands after appearing to launch the drug before Novartis' intellectual property rights had expired.
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September 10, 2025
Microsoft Defends Software Resale Tactics Amid £270M Claim
Microsoft urged a tribunal on Wednesday to reject a software reseller's claim that the technology giant owes £270 million ($365 million) for restricting the rights of software companies to resell software they have licensed from Microsoft.
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September 10, 2025
Thai Brewer Stops Singha TM Amid 'Unpleasant' Loo Roll Link
The brewer of Singha beer has persuaded European Union officials to block an opponent's "Singha" trademark application, as the EU Intellectual Property Office ruled that its proposed use on toilet paper could tarnish the Thai drink's brand.
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September 10, 2025
UPC Classifies Lawyers' Billing Hours As Confidential Info
The Unified Patent Court has ruled that lawyers' billing hours and charging rates count as confidential information, allowing sides to a dispute to keep details of their legal spend out of the public eye.
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September 09, 2025
Microsoft Cannot Restrict Software Aftermarket, Reseller Says
Counsel for an English software reseller argued at the competition tribunal in London on Tuesday that Microsoft is stifling the legal resale of its software licenses, kicking off the company's antitrust and intellectual property claim.
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September 09, 2025
Tether Accuses Crypto Trader Of Unlawful Suit Over Bitcoin JV
Tether accused a crypto trading company in a London court on Tuesday of knowingly bringing an unlawful claim over a soured bitcoin mining joint venture after the trader conceded that it did not own the intellectual assets of the joint venture vehicle.
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September 09, 2025
Oncology Biotech Sues Rival Over Cancer-Testing Patent
An American oncology biotechnology company has sued a Swiss rival for patent infringement, arguing that the medical software business' cancer test and "cutting-edge" platform to accurately analyze data about a patient's blood sample was actually ripping off its technology.
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September 09, 2025
Diazyme Fends Off Challenge To Vitamin D Testing Patent
European officials have dismissed a law firm's claim that a patent for a vitamin D testing method does nothing new, since Diazyme Laboratories Inc. had eliminated the need for a tedious washing process.
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September 09, 2025
French Cosmetics Biz Denies Copying Rival's LED Mask
A French cosmetics company has denied copying a British competitor's LED light-therapy mask designs, telling a London court that it had no intention of duping its rival's customers.
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September 09, 2025
Apple Swerves UPC Claim Over Location-Tagging Tech
A patent monetization firm has dropped its infringement action against Apple at the Unified Patent Court, withdrawing its claim that the technology giant had used vital location-tagging technology without permission.
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September 15, 2025
HGF Ramps Up Europe Expansion With 3 IP Partners
HGF Ltd. has welcomed three new patent partners to its Munich and Paris offices, after securing a private equity investment in its bid to grow in the European intellectual property space.
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September 08, 2025
Taylor Wessing Munich Partners Launch New IP Boutique
Five German patent partners at Taylor Wessing LLP are poised to leave the firm in the fall to launch their own legal outfit called Pentarc.
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September 08, 2025
Family Biz Hits Back At Builder's Bid To Claw Back TM Fees
A family firm has asserted that a trademark for "Miller Metcalfe" was properly transferred to it despite a homebuilder's claims, giving it every right to collect £150,000 ($203,225) in license fees over five years.
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September 08, 2025
Jimmy Choo Loses Challenge To 'CHHU' Jewelry TM
Designer shoemaker Jimmy Choo has lost its bid to block a "chhu" trademark for jewelry after European Union officials found consumers would be able to distinguish between the two.
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September 08, 2025
BASF Fends Off Syngenta Challenge To Crop Protection IP
Chemicals giant BASF has fought off the latest challenge by Syngenta Crop Protection AG to its patent for a way of controlling fungi in crops, convincing an appeals board that the patent is new over a series of earlier blueprints for similar pesticides.
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September 08, 2025
Baker McKenzie Steers Servier On $450M Autism Drug Buy
French pharmaceutical group Servier said Monday it has acquired a potential treatment for the most common genetic cause of autism from U.K.-based biotech Kaerus Bioscience Ltd., in a transaction that could be worth up to $450 million.
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September 05, 2025
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London
This past week in London has seen professional boxing promoter Boxxer take action against the former head of boxing at Matchroom Sport, Aegis Motor Insurance and Chubb European Group clash over a reinsurance claim, and a transgender pool player sue the English Blackball Pool Federation over its decision to ban her competing in women's teams and tournaments.
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September 05, 2025
Edwards Lifesciences Settles Heart Valve Patent Spat
Edwards Lifesciences has settled its Unified Patent Court dispute with rivals Sintec and Value Med, with the companies agreeing not to sell prosthetic heart valves that infringe Edwards' IP in Europe.
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September 05, 2025
Sabadell Can't Nix Swiss Investment Firm's TM
Spanish bank Sabadell failed to convince European officials to nix an investment firm's mark for the letter "B" because the fact that its own mark also contained a "B" wasn't enough to make the public think that their financial services were somehow linked.
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September 05, 2025
Top Commercial Dispute Cases To Watch In The Rest Of 2025
Litigators will be eagerly awaiting the first "dieselgate" trial in what will be the largest ever group action in England and Wales when the courts return after the summer recess, as well as keeping an eye out for the outcome of a £36 billion ($49 billion) claim against BHP. Here, Law360 looks at those and other big cases to watch out for the rest of 2025.
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September 05, 2025
Arkema Unit Beats Appeal For EU Hydrogenation Patent
Mexican chemical company Mexichem Fluor has failed to convince European officials that its patent for a chemical de-hydrogenation process is inventive, after opposition brought by the French branch of specialty materials maker Arkema Group.
Expert Analysis
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Opt-Out Strategy Considerations After Ruling In UPC Appeal
The Court of Appeal of the Unified Patent Court in AIM Sport Development v. Supponor recently clarified the circumstances under which a withdrawal of an opt-out from UPC jurisdiction is possible, bringing new strategic considerations for both patentees and potential defendants, say lawyers at Finnegan.
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Opinion
EU's AI Code Of Practice Creates Risk Of Regulatory Clashes
The second draft of the European Commission's Artificial Intelligence Code of Practice significantly expands beyond the European Union's existing legal framework for AI — especially around copyright protection, public transparency and reporting obligations — and risks interfering with other EU laws by introducing requirements contrary to existing regulations, say lawyers at MoFo.
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Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises
“No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.
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Key Points From Gov't Consultation On Copyright And AI
The U.K. government’s current consultation on mitigating artificial intelligence input and output risks to copyright holders seeks to facilitate copyright holders in bringing actions against AI developers that make unauthorized use of protected works and mandate consistent labeling of AI-generated content, say lawyers at Deloitte.
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What 2025 Holds For UK, EU Restructuring And Insolvency
European Union and U.K. restructuring developments in 2024, with a new era of director accountability, the use of cramdown tools and the emergence of aggressive liability management exercises, mean greater consideration of creditors' interests and earlier engagement in restructuring discussions can be expected this year, says Inga West at Ashurst.
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What To Know As EU Urges Outbound Investment Reviews
A recent European Commission recommendation urges European Union member states to review outbound investments in certain critical technologies sectors, but does not clarify the next steps for states once information on relevant transactions in third countries is received, say lawyers at Cleary.
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Exam Board Ruling Expands Scope Of 'Newcomer Injunctions'
The High Court's recent decision granting AQA Education a digital "newcomer injunction" prevents anonymous internet users from distributing unlawfully obtained exam materials, and extends the scope of such injunctions from issues of trespass to the protection of confidential information, say lawyers at Fieldfisher.
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Considering The Status Of The US Doctrine Of Patent Misuse
A recent Ninth Circuit decision and a U.K. Court of Appeal decision demonstrate the impact that the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 decision in Kimble v. Marvel Entertainment has had on the principle that post-patent-expiration royalty payments amount to patent misuse, not only in the U.S. but in English courts as well, say attorneys at Covington.
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Sky Trademark Ruling Suggests Strategy Tips For Brands
Following the U.K. Supreme Court's SkyKick v. Sky trademark ruling, brand owners should strike a balance between a specification broad enough to meet business requirements but not so broad as to invite unnecessary counterattacks for bad faith, says Josh Charalambous at RPC.
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Keeping Up With Europe's Pregrant Description Amendments
A recent Technical Board of Appeal decision that there is no legal basis in the European Patent Convention for requiring pregrant description amendments has generated legal uncertainty on this issue, and practitioners should consider deleting unclaimed alternatives, say attorneys at Finnegan.
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How The UPC, ITC Complement Each Other In Patent Law
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.
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Rowing Machine IP Loss Waters Down Design Protections
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.
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Takeaways From EU's Draft AI Code Of Practice
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.
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The Rising Tide Of EU Antitrust Enforcement In Pharma
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.
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What The Future Of AI In Financial Services Looks Like
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.