Blog & News

Who Owns AI-Generated Content in the UK?

As more businesses and creatives experiment with tools like Midjourney, ChatGPT and DALL·E, a key question arises: who actually owns the content they produce? UK Copyright Law: A Unique Rule…

Can You Copyright a Logo? (And When to Use Trade Marks Instead)

Quick Answer In the UK, a logo will almost always qualify as an “artistic work” and therefore automatically attract copyright protection the moment it’s created. This usually allows you to…

Can Birkenstock Sandals Really Be Protected by Copyright? A Dutch Court Thinks So

A recent Dutch first-instance judgment has reignited the debate over whether fashion designs—especially utilitarian items like shoes—can qualify for copyright protection across the EU. In a surprising move, the District…

Edwards v Boohoo.com UK Ltd & Ors [2025] EWHC 805 (IPEC)

The High Court dismissed Sonia Edwards’ (the “Claimant”) case where it alleged that Bohoo.com UK Ltd (the “Defendant”) had infringed the unregistered design right in five of its clothing designs.…

Modular exceptions in the EU: LEGO A/S v Pozitív Energiaforrás Kft. (C-211/24)

The case of LEGO A/S v Pozitív Energiaforrás Kft. (C-211/24) concerns the interpretation of Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 on Community designs. The CJEU examined the scope of protection under Article…

Transitional Period: Use in the EU will no longer count for cloned UK Trade Marks

After the UK left the European Union, the UK automatically created cloned UK trade marks for each registered EU Trade Mark (“EUTM”) as of 1 January 2021. These cloned marks…

The upcoming April 2026 fee increase from the UKIPO

UK rights holders should be aware the UKIPO is increasing official fees by an average of 25% on 1 April 2026 to cover the costs of inflation and to fund the…

Practical issues flowing from Getty Images v Stability AI [2025] EWHC 2863 (Ch)

Background This long running case involves Getty’s claims that Stability AI copied their archives in training their AI models, and in some of the output generated by Stability AI’s AI…

Megaverse partially blocks Epic Games, Inc

In a recent UKIPO decision [O/1042/25] between Megaverse Ltd (Megaverse) and Epic Games, Inc (Epic), it saw Megaverse partially succeed in blocking Epic’s application for “EPIC GAMES MEGAVERSE”. Megaverse is…

Why Trade Mark Watching Is Important for Protecting Your Brand

Registering a trade mark is an essential step, but it is only part of the job. If you want to protect the value of your brand and the investment you…

One IPO – a one-stop shop

The UKIPO has announced its plans to streamline IP services through its new One IPO Transformation Programme. The integrated, digital platform will provide a one-stop shop for all UK IP…

Is Dr Martens’ Yellow Stitching Really That Distinctive? The Brussels Court of Appeal Thinks So

On 30 September 2025, the Brussels Court of Appeal handed down an important decision for trade mark law enthusiasts and brand owners alike, finding that the yellow stitching and sole…

International Trade Marks: WIPO Filing – Frequently Asked Questions

What is a WIPO trade mark application? The WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) trade mark system, also known as the Madrid Protocol System, allows you to apply for trade mark…

Hitting the Right Note – BVG v EUIPO

The EU General Court made (sound) waves as it delivered its judgment in Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) v EUIPO (Case T-288/24), deciding that BVG’s sound mark could qualify for trade mark…

UKIPO launches consultation on proposed changes to UK design framework

In one of the most significant developments to the sector in the past decade, the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has launched a consultation on proposed reforms to the…

It Ain’t Easy – easyGroup Limited v Premier Inn Hotels Limited [2025] EWHC 2229 (Ch)

The High Court has found in favour of Premier Inn in its dispute with easyGroup, deciding that Premier Inn’s “Rest Easy” branding did not infringe easyGroup’s trade marks. The Court…

Why AI Can’t Be Trusted With Your Trade Marks

Artificial intelligence is now widely used in daily and professional life. It can draft emails, create texts, and even prepare legal documents. At first this may look like a fast…

Who owns the copyright in AI generated works?

AI tools have increasingly become a staple part of our lives, whether for writing emails, organising our schedules or creating works of art. Businesses and creators are relying more heavily…

To Block or Not to Block? German Supreme Court Weighs in on Ad-Blockers

Ad-blockers continue to stir heated debates at the intersection of copyright law and the digital economy. Publishers argue they threaten revenue, while users see them as essential shields against intrusive…

What are the disadvantages of passing off

Passing off refers to an act of unregistered trade mark infringement in the UK. It can be a very useful and flexible tool in the battle against infringers but there…

Genuine use in the EU: Ferrari v EUIPO (TESTAROSSA)

Background The EUIPO has recently upheld Ferrari’s appeal and annulled the Board of Appeal’s decision in relation to genuine use of the EU word mark TESTAROSS. Ferrari S.p.A. has been…

EUIPO: Radiator Grilles and distinctiveness (R 2316/2024-1)

The EUIPO has recently held that a sign representing a radiator grille had the sufficient distinctiveness to be registrable as a trade mark in the EU. Background Mercedes-Benz (“Mercedes”) applied…

How long is the trade mark registration process?

The trade mark registration process can vary in length depending on which jurisdiction you have filed your trade mark application in. For example, whilst applications filed in the UK typically…

Trade Mark Opposition Evidence Pitfall

When trade mark applications are accepted for publication by a trade marks examiner, the next step in the lifecycle is for that application to be published in the trade marks…