Intellectual Property UK

  • October 17, 2025

    Apple Prevails In 'Opple' TM Appeal

    A European Union Intellectual Property Office appeals board has upheld Apple's bid to block lighting company Opple from registering a trademark for its name, rebuffing a prior decision that held the public would be unlikely to confuse the two trademarks.

  • October 17, 2025

    Fire Resistant Cladding Makers Battle Over IP

    A building cladding specialist has denied accusations of patent and design infringement, arguing that a rival should lose the IP protections it was relying on because prior fire safety systems had revealed key features of its tech before the filing date. 

  • October 17, 2025

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

    This past week in London has seen Johnson & Johnson hit with a £1 billion ($1.34 billion) claim for allegedly selling contaminated baby powder, Carter-Ruck bring a claim against the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and Hewlett Packard file a probate claim against the estate of Mike Lynch.

  • October 17, 2025

    L'Oréal Beats Nivea Owner's Challenge To Hair Treatment IP

    Nivea's owner has lost its latest attempt to quash L'Oréal's hair-straightening patent, failing to convince a European appeals panel that the chemical treatment isn't inventive.

  • October 17, 2025

    Accord Escalates Challenge Over Blood Pressure Patent

    Accord has extended its challenge to Novartis' protections over its blood pressure medication, telling a London court that the original filing underpinning its patent was not inventive.

  • October 16, 2025

    Ubisoft Blocks Game Developer's 'Wardogs' EU TM Bid

    A European Union court has rejected a British game developer's attempt to revive its "Wardogs" trademark application, upholding an earlier decision that it's too close to Ubisoft's Watch Dogs video game title.

  • October 16, 2025

    EPO Says Lawyers Can Act In Disputes For Firms They Lead

    An appeals panel at the European Patent Office has said that lawyers can represent their firms in disputes, even if they are simultaneously managing the legal entity that they represent.

  • October 16, 2025

    'Gummies For Gamers' Too Descriptive For EU TM

    European Union officials have rejected a business executive's application for a "Gummies for Gamers" trademark, ruling that the sign simply describes the goods sold under the brand.

  • October 16, 2025

    Lenovo Unit Partially Blocks Chinese Co.'s 'LiFe Younger' TM

    A Lenovo unit has partially persuaded European officials to nix a trademark application for "LiFe Younger" based on its earlier "Life" marks, as they ruled that some shoppers might mix up the signs because they both referred to the notion of "life." 

  • October 16, 2025

    Jeweler Defends Use Of Descriptive 'Almas' TM

    A jewelry supplier has fought back against allegations by a rival that it has stolen the "Almas Jewellers" trademark, arguing that "Almas" literally translated into diamond in English and was commonly used by jewelers.

  • 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 21, 2025

    Bird & Bird Hires 1st Damages Head From FTI

    Bird & Bird LLP has hired its first head of valuations and damages in its London office from FTI Consulting, a new role to help clients make assessments about awards and payouts at an early stage of intellectual property litigation.

  • 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.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • Don't Wing Settlements: Lessons From Morley's TM Ruling

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    In Morley's v. Sivakumar, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court recently found that a fast-food franchiser had breached a fried chicken franchise's trademark rights, despite a prior settlement agreement, offering lessons on drafting express terms to ensure IP protection, say Nessa Khandaker and Clare Cornell at Finnegan.

  • Use Or Lose It: European TM Ruling Stresses 'Genuine Use'

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    The European Union General Court recently dismissed an action to revoke trademark protections for a lack of use in Sta Grupa v. EU Intellectual Property Office, offering significant insight into the intricacies of assessing evidence of genuine use in revocation actions, says Sumi Nadarajah at FRKelly.

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