Brexit – Trade Marks & Designs… did the plan work??
For those of you who have been following the UK Intellectual Property Office’s post-Brexit plans (just me?) I’m sure you’re wondering, did it work? The short answer is yes, on…
Father Christmas, his workshop and the risk of IP infringement
In recent months Santa Clause has received a large number of letters from requesting various toys for Christmas. However, if he’s not careful, it’s possible that in January he could…
Brexit and trade marks – a reminder
Brexit is back, actually it never left, and the end of the UK’s transition period (31 December 2020) is almost upon us
Copyright… are you sure it’s yours?
Copyright ownership is a funny thing, anyone who heard about the case of the monkey selfie can attest to that (long story short, a monkey took a picture of herself and earned a substantial payout).
Amazon’s Brand Registry – what is it and how can we help?
Amazon now operates an effective Brand Registry tool on each of its country-specific platforms which allows brand owners to exercise a great deal of control over who uses their trade marks.
LEGOLAND or LEGNOLAND – where would you rather go?
For those of you who speak Italian, you will undoubtedly know that LEGNOLAND means “land of wood”. Whilst LEGOLAND doesn’t necessarily mean “land of plastic”, it’s not far off. So,…
Word or logo? Choosing the perfect trade mark application
In these strange times we’re used to big questions and the controversy that accompany them, lift lockdown or don’t lift lockdown? 1 meter or 2? Mask or no mask? Stand…
Help, I’ve Just Received A Cease And Desist Letter!
As intellectual property experts, we spend much of our time sending or responding to cease and desist letters. These letters are the first step in an intellectual property claim and…
Preparing for the new normal – COVID-19 and IP
As this global crisis changes from a short to a long term-issue businesses are starting to prepare for the new normal. For some, this may involve quite a major pivot…
IP & Commercial Work Out
As the lockdown continues many of us are finding new and creative ways to get fit, whether it’s our one outing a day or jumping up and down in the…
Working from home – top tips for the lockdown
Whilst the world adapts to a new normal many of us are trying to get accustomed to working from home. WFH used to be a bit of a perk, now…
Copyright and copy… wrong
An often overlooked fact about copyright is that it’s all down to good admin. I know admin might not be the most exciting thing to read about but give it…
Electioneering and copyright infringement
In the olden days parties campaigned by knocking on doors, holding rallies and sending endless bits of paper to voters. But, what this latest election has shown us, apart from…
Brand protection… the big questions answered
Have you spent months developing the prefect brand name? Have you bought a domain name or registered a company name featuring the brand? Maybe you’re really far down the road,…
Rubik’s Cube fail to solve the 3D trade mark puzzle
Like many other things big in the 80s, the Rubik’s Cube has a cult following around the world. A simple toy consisting of six faces each covered by nine stickers…
Shhhh… don’t mention the patent
When people think of intellectual property protection often the first thing that pops into their mind is a patent (and then the question of how it’s pronounced). But patents can…
Preparing your business for investment, why IP is the key
Most businesses require third party investment at some point. In fact, the majority of start-ups are “bootstrapped” from inception and this can significantly limit their potential to hire new staff,…
Online Influencers #advertisingrules #fail
I think we can all accept that for most brands advertising has moved beyond traditional print and media. Instead consumers are constantly being told what to buy by a wide…
Three stripes and you’re out!
We can all sympathise with a company trying to protect its brand identity, indeed this is exactly why we have a trade mark registration system. However, this system does have…
Employees vs Freelancers – important advice for all concerned!
In the growing gig economy more and more businesses are using freelancers to undertake work traditionally done by employees. In fact, more and more potential employees are opting to be…
A trade mark decision that’s hard to swallow
Lightly grilled with a slice of lemon, the somewhat squeaky Cypriot cheese of halloumi is much loved in the UK. However, Cyprus has just suffered a major blow in its…
Trade mark co-existence – what is it and will it work?
Picture the scene, you have spent days, weeks or even months choosing the perfect brand name and after a few clearance searches you discover, to your horror, that someone else…
Choosing the perfect brand name – it can’t be that hard can it?
Imagine, if you will (close your eyes if it helps), a situation in which you’ve come up with the perfect brand name. You’re over the moon about it and you…
Contracts, why do we need them??
Love them or hate them contracts are a vital tool for any business. In spite of this, a huge amount of the commercial disputes which we deal with on a…