News & opinion

England football player has applied to register four trademarks at the UKIPO, covering clothing, footwear and headgear.

Licensing agreements are necessary to play copyright-protected music in clubs, bars, restaurants, hotels and even lifts, but what if you hire a DJ for a private function?

As the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) grants a trademark right to Play-Doh to protect its distinctive smell, Novagraaf’s Trecina Surti looks at the challenges of registering scent marks in the EU.

The holder of the word and figurative mark 'Tpresso' sought to prevent the registration of the word mark ‘teaespresso’, on the grounds of likelihood of confusion. Both cover similar tea-related products.

Novagraaf’s Trecina Surti examines how the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) approached a recent high-profile trademark dispute between two doctors.

The administrative procedure for obtaining a patent in Japan is similar to that of most other patent systems, and includes the examination of novelty, inventive step and industrial application of the invention.

What is the scope of protection for a two-letter trademark? Novagraaf’s Frouke Hekker examines the implications of a recent EU General Court ruling.

With Prince Harry set to wed Meghan Markle on 19 May 2018, it will be no surprise that brand owners and retailers will seek to capitalise on the hype and goodwill around the latest royal wedding.

The number of countries and regions joining the international system for trademark registration on the basis of the Madrid Convention and its Protocol, continues to grow.

While the entry into effect of the GDPR at the end of May might be music to the ears of privacy advocates, brand owners and trademark attorneys could be hearing a rather less pleasant tune.

It is now only 12 weeks until the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, with the hosts taking on Saudi Arabia match on 14 June. Novagraaf’s Claire Jones examines the IP implications of this headline-grabbing event.

In its Decision T 1311/13 of 17 January 2018 (re: EP 1 224 299), the EPO’s Board of Appeal has provided clarification as to late-filed requests in appeal proceedings.