Blog & News

What to do if your business name is stolen

You’ve brainstormed, you’ve picked out a brand name, you’ve launched your business … and then you discover another company using your name. Is there anything that you can do? The…

How Much Originality Is Enough? Exploring Copyright Protection in the Age of Shared Aesthetics

In a decision this year from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Woodland v Hill, the court addressed a question that’s increasingly relevant in today’s visually driven,…

How to Decide Where to Register Your Trade Marks if You Sell Online

When your business is based mainly online, protecting your trade mark becomes more complex. The internet allows your brand to be visible in many countries, not only the one where…

Should I consider licensing my intellectual property rights?

At Briffa we regularly assist clients with drafting and negotiating licensing for their intellectual property rights. This may be in the field of software as a service (SaaS) or allowing…

Do I need to obtain a design registration for my design?

Many of our clients at Briffa rely on a registered design right for their most popular designs.  Our clients in the fashion and furniture design industries in particular use this…

Can I use copyright to protect my business in the UK?

Many of our clients at Briffa rely on copyright as an IP asset to protect their business. This note addresses some key aspects of copyright in the UK and how…

How can you get copyright protection?

Requirements – registration(?) Unlike trade marks and registered design rights, copyright in the UK and EU is an unregistered right; as such, you do not have to worry about registering…

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

In this case review, the EUIPO 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…

Someone has copied my brand name and I don’t have a trade mark – is there anything I can do?

Whilst it is always advisable to trade mark your brand name, this does not then mean you have no protections for your brand, especially if you find someone has copied…

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…