UK

The sessions scheduled at INTA's 2023 Annual Meeting remind us that trademarks are not the only rights to consider when looking at brand protection.

26 April is World IP Day! This year's theme is 'Women and IP: Accelerating innovation and creativity', which provides an opportunity to talk about why it is important for women to be part of climate change innovation solutions, and to highlight a few of the women leading the way.

Most IP legislation was designed to support trademark protection in physical markets, making its application a challenge for brand owners facing trademark infringement on ecommerce channels, such as online marketplaces. Megan Taylor discusses strategies for brand protection online in light of recent rulings by the EU and UK courts.

Trademark disputes can have starkly different outcomes in different jurisdictions, as demonstrated by a number of parallel EU and UK oppositions. UK Trademark Attorney Mona Asgari examines the different positions taken by the EUIPO and UKIPO in a recent opposition based on indirect confusion and emphasises the importance of local representation.

In response to recent uncertainty around the need for a UK address for service (AFS) for UK trademarks and designs, the UKIPO issued a Tribunal Practice Notice on 25 January 2023. Vanessa Harrow sets out the changes and offers practical advice for affected rights holders.

Read answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about when a UK address for service is required for UK trademarks and designs.

In our 7 March webinar on IP and packaging, our experts explained how to use trademarks, designs and copyright to protect packaging visuals and messaging, and tackle IP infringement and counterfeiting.

A thorough review of your trademark portfolio now will put both your IP rights and your business in a strong position for the year to come. Assess your registrations for strength, accuracy and cost with the help of our three-step process.

The Madrid System for the international registration of trademarks allows brand owners to apply and maintain protection in the different member states of the system via one single procedure, in one language and one set of fees. However, levels of protection can vary and the process is not without its shortfalls.

When deciding on your IP enforcement and protection strategy, both the 'sword' and 'shield' functions of trademarks must be kept in mind, says Laura Morrish.

The short answer is ‘yes’, you can own a fictional character, says UK Trademark Attorney Luke Portnow, and this summer the UK saw a particularly interesting case law development in copyright protection. 

Stop the Press! 'HOUSE OF ZANA' has been found to be different from 'ZARA'.  To many, this will not have come as a surprise.  When trademark applications are opposed, applicants (and/or their representatives) are familiar with the argument “the marks only differ by one letter”.  Increasingly, that argument does not bear much weight at the UK IPO Tribunal Section.