Intellectual Property UK

  • May 20, 2026

    Armani Loses Case For 'Exotic Musk' TM In EU

    European officials have refused Giorgio Armani's trademark application for "Exotic Musk," ruling that the phrase is too descriptive because perfume brands commonly use it to describe warm and musky scents. 

  • May 20, 2026

    Next Blocks 'Nextweek' TM Bid From Sunglasses Biz

    British clothing retailer Next has persuaded European Union officials to block a "Nextweek" trademark application from a Chinese sunglasses company, proving that shoppers could easily mistake one logo for the other.

  • May 19, 2026

    Vape Co. Disputes Rival's 'Original' Ownership Of TM

    An electronic cigarette brand has pushed back against claims it copied a rival's "Crystal Vapours" trademark, arguing that the rival wasn't the "original user" of the sign as it didn't even own the shops it was citing as evidence.

  • May 19, 2026

    IOC Shreds Ex-Pro Snowboarder's 'Olympic Angels' EU TM

    The governing body of the Olympics has stopped a former professional snowboarder from getting an "Olympic Angels" trademark in the European Union, proving that the mark unfairly free-rides on the competition's reputation.

  • May 19, 2026

    Nxera Sues Rival Biotech Over Drug Research Patent

    Biopharma business Nxera has accused a rival of infringing its patents covering an engineered version of a protein used extensively in drug discovery research, arguing that the specific variants the biotech used were far too similar to the patented technology.  

  • May 19, 2026

    InterDigital Loses Appeal For Video Coding Patent

    European appellate officials have rejected InterDigital's bid to patent a method of decoding videos, ruling that earlier technology had already disclosed the idea of "upsampling" video layers to allow streams to play a higher-quality display. 

  • May 19, 2026

    Property Investor Sues Ares For Using 'Marq' IP

    A London-based property investor has accused U.S. investment giant Ares of infringing its trademark by reproducing identical logos in an effort to capitalize on the investor's success and mislead consumers.

  • May 18, 2026

    Former USPTO Directors Diverge On Patent Injunctions

    The debate over the role of injunctions in patent cases remains active in the U.S., and European leaders shouldn't think that there is a "consensus" in the country, said former U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Kathi Vidal.

  • May 18, 2026

    Nokia Can't Force Acer, Asus To Arbitrate Over Their SEPs

    An appeals court told Nokia on Monday that it cannot compel Acer and Asus to arbitrate over cross-licenses for their own patents in upcoming arbitration over suitable licenses for the Finnish company's essential video-coding technology.

  • May 18, 2026

    Shiseido Can't Bag 'Collection Créateurs de Merveilles' TM

    European officials have refused Shiseido's application for the trademark "Collection Créateurs de Merveilles" covering cosmetic products, finding that shoppers would be likely to see it as a promotional statement rather than a distinct brand.

  • May 18, 2026

    Bayer Nixes Generic's Anticoagulant Patent

    Bayer has persuaded European appellate officials to ditch a Slovenian drugmaker's patent over a compound that helps prevent blood clots, after showing that it lacked key information scientists needed to make the drug. 

  • May 18, 2026

    Fashion Brand Alaïa Blocks Chinese Rival's 'Ailiai' TM

    French fashion house Alaïa has convinced European officials to partially nix a Chinese shoemaker's mark, as shoppers looking to buy high-end handbags and clothes from the luxury brand might be tricked into buying the rival's products. 

  • May 18, 2026

    Ebay Blocks 'BotBay' TM Application From Croatian Biz

    EBay has halted a Croatian company's "BotBay" trademark application, convincing European Union officials that consumers could see the logo as an extended brand of its popular online marketplace.

  • May 18, 2026

    Monster Fails To Get 'Pink Poison' Hard Seltzer TM

    The brewing branch of energy drinks giant Monster has failed to secure a European Union trademark for its "Pink Poison" hard seltzer after a French winery proved that there is a risk of confusion with its earlier "Poison Rose" brand.

  • May 15, 2026

    Guy Laroche Wins EUIPO Fight Over Lookalike 'G' Logo

    Guy Laroche has convinced European officials to block an online retailer from registering a stylized "G" logo as a trademark, with the French fashion brand proving that consumers would likely confuse them at face value.

  • May 15, 2026

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

    The past week in London has seen singer Rita Ora be sued by her management company, the billionaire Gertner brothers file a part 8 claim and Stephenson Harwood lodge a debt claim against a member of the Bulgari jewelry dynasty. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • May 15, 2026

    EU Asks How To Balance IP Rights With AI Boom

    The European Commission is asking experts how best to strengthen copyright enforcement and licensing laws in response to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, while "making it easier" for generative AI companies to access their works.

  • May 15, 2026

    Merck Blocks Rival's Access To Secret Files In Trademark Row

    German drugmaker Merck KGaA successfully blocked pharmaceutical rival Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC from accessing a cache of confidential files which featured in a trademark dispute between the pair, as a London court ruled Friday that MSD is contractually bound not to use the documents.

  • May 15, 2026

    VW, DHL Counterfeit Car Key Battle Heads To Top Dutch Court

    A Dutch judge is set to refer a dispute between VW and DHL over a shipment of allegedly counterfeit car keys to the nation's top court, aiming to clarify whether the Dutch or German courts have jurisdiction to hear the case.

  • May 15, 2026

    Invisalign Maker Loses Bid For Early Injunction At UPC

    An orthodontics company has failed to secure an injunction barring a rival from selling clear aligners after the Unified Patent Court found that it relied too heavily on marketing materials that failed to show any identical features. 

  • May 15, 2026

    Brandsmiths Client Hit With Costs Penalty Over SRA Threat

    A London court has ordered a discount retailer to pay indemnity costs, finding the company's solicitors Brandsmiths misused criminal contempt proceedings and threatened to report their opposition lawyers to the profession's regulator in an attempt to gain leverage in a trademark dispute.

  • May 15, 2026

    Klarna Wins Battle For 'K.' TM For Non-Banking Services

    A European court has rejected Klarna's bid to obtain exclusive rights over a "K." trademark in the banking world, but allowed the fintech firm to keep its logo registered over a range of non-financial services despite a Spanish rival's attacks. 

  • May 15, 2026

    Jo Malone, Zara Deny Infringing Estée Lauder Owner's IP

    British perfumer Jo Malone and the owner of Zara have denied infringing "Jo Malone" trademarks belonging to Estée Lauder Companies, telling a London court that shoppers would know the difference between the business and its founder.

  • May 15, 2026

    Paul Weiss, Gibson Dunn Guide Deal For LVMH's Marc Jacobs

    Luxury goods giant LVMH said it has agreed to sell its Marc Jacobs fashion brand to a 50-50 joint venture between G-III Apparel Group and brand management company WHP Global.

  • May 14, 2026

    Asics Loses Bid To Protect Midsole Design In EU

    Asics has failed to persuade European officials to protect a design on the side of its shoes, finding that shoppers would likely view it as a decorative choice rather than a recognizable feature of the Japanese brand.

Expert Analysis

  • What To Know About Interim Licenses In Global FRAND Cases

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    Recent U.K. court decisions have shaped a framework for interim licenses in global standard-essential patent disputes, under which parties can benefit from operating on temporary terms while a court determines the final fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms — but the future of this developing remedy is in doubt, say attorneys at Fish & Richardson.

  • EU Act Establishes Data Sharing Rules, But Hurdles Remain

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    The recently effective European Union Data Act provisions establish harmonized rules to unlock the use of data generated by technology-embedded software, but leave practical challenges that organizations will need to navigate to comply with cross-border requirements, say lawyers at King & Spalding.

  • 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.

  • EU-US Data Transfer Ruling Offers Reassurance To Cos.

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    The European Union General Court’s recent upholding of the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework in Latombe v. European Commission, although subject to appeal, provides companies with legal certainty for the first time by allowing the transfer of European Economic Area personal data without relying on alternative mechanisms, say lawyers at Wilson Sonsini.

  • 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.

  • Challenges Law Firms Face In Recruiting Competitor Teams

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    Since the movement of lawyer teams from a competitor can bring legal considerations and commercial risks into play, both the target and recruiting firms should be familiar with the relevant limited liability partnership deed to protect their business, say lawyers at Fox & Partners.

  • 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.

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