IPO

Rare defeat for easyGroup

easyGroup, which owns the IP rights for companies such as easyJet and easyHotel, has been active, and largely successful, in bringing...

Court of Appeal divided over disclosure

Can confidential discussions between parties in the UK be disclosed in parallel litigation in the US? The Court of Appeal was divided on...

Speedy justice in design case

In what may be a record for an IP case in the UK, the trial in Lutec (UK) Ltd & Ors v Cascade Holdings Ltd & Anor [2021] EWHC 1907 (Pat)...

Cheers to a rare EAGLE trade mark decision

This Court of Appeal decision is a helpful reminder that a lack of evidence of actual confusion is not necessarily fatal to a finding of...

The post-Brexit clock is ticking - don't miss out!

We first wrote about the impact of Brexit on UK trade marks over a year ago. We are now over 6 months in since the UK's departure from...

SKY brings good news for broad trade marks

A common trade mark filing strategy in the UK and EU is to file a broad trade mark specification. A broad specification makes enforcement...

Mwah! Lipstick shape registered as EU trade mark

In a decision likely to be welcomed by owners of 3D trade marks, the EU General Court has ruled that the shape of Guerlain’s Rouge G...

Wonder Woman comes down to earth

The UK IPO, at least, seems resistant to Wonder Woman’s superpowers, after it rejected DC Comics’ opposition to a trade mark application...

Court of Appeal rules on liability and account of profits in trade mark case

The Court of Appeal has reviewed the law on liability and account of profits in a judgment concerning the BEVERLY HILLS POLO CLUB trade...

No penalty clause in IP Settlement Agreement: royalty clawback & 6 figure lump sum payment permitted

A judge in the Patents Court has ruled that terms concerning the ownership and validity of IP rights in a settlement agreement were not...

Satan Shoes - Nike and the devil tussle over trade mark exhaustion

Occasionally IP disputes break into the public domain. This one has to do with Nike, a famous brand, and also to do with Satan. Rosie and...

Walk like a PANTHÉ - Visual perception is key for fashion trade marks says EU

Is there a likelihood of confusion between the figurative signs pictured below (PANTHÉ and PANTHER) for “Clothing; Headgear” in Class 25?...

EUIPO sees rise in trade mark filings in 2020 despite pandemic

We are all aware that the pandemic hasn't necessarily led to a decrease of work across the board. One group of people who have been...

Goodbye Aunt Jemima, hello Pearl Milling Company

Trade marks may theoretically last forever but brands are subject to change. The Aunt Jemima brand of pancake mix and syrup will be...

European Fashion Law