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  • June 17, 2025

    Hat Co. Claims Rival's Dupes Caused 'Greenwashing' Gripe

    A hat brand has accused a rival of selling counterfeit headgear of an inferior quality and hurting its environmentally friendly brand, as consumers were leaving negative reviews accusing it of "greenwashing."

  • June 17, 2025

    Spanish Law Firm Voids Danish Outfit's 'Legaltech' TM

    A Spanish law firm has persuaded European Union officials to void most of a Danish organization's protections over its "Legaltech" name, proving that the word is too descriptive to function as a trademark.

  • June 17, 2025

    Spiritual Org. Says Publisher's Amazon Sales Infringed IP

    A spiritual society has accused a book publisher of infringing its copyright over a set of letters from the 1940s, telling a London court that it did not have the right to sell copies of the works on Amazon.

  • June 16, 2025

    Bratz Maker Beats Rival's £90M Claim Despite Antitrust Breach

    MGA Entertainment Inc., the company behind Bratz dolls, owes no compensation to a rival despite running a campaign of "undeniable" antitrust violations and making unjustified threats of patent infringement litigation, a London judge said Monday.

  • June 16, 2025

    Taxi Payment Business Accuses Ex-Director Of Copying App

    A company providing card payment services to taxi drivers has accused a former director of breaching his duties and infringing its copyright by poaching senior developers to set up a rival payment system. 

  • June 16, 2025

    TotalEnergies Can't Nix Dow's Sports Turf Patent

    Chemical producer Dow Global Technologies defeated a challenge to its patent on a method for making artificial turf and sports tracks, after European officials rejected TotalEnergies' arguments that an earlier invention had already revealed how to make a specific polymer. 

  • June 16, 2025

    Royalties Body Says Blur Drummer's Class Action Is 'Weak'

    An organization that collects royalties for musicians in the U.K. continued its fight on Monday to fend off a claim brought by the drummer of rock band Blur, who alleges it unfairly distributes money, branding the case as "exceptionally weak."

  • June 16, 2025

    Venom Singer Claims Copyright Over Band's Satanic Designs

    Heavy-metal singer Conrad Lant insisted on Monday that he was the creator of designs associated with the band Venom, as he gave evidence in his dispute with former bandmate Anthony Bray and a music distributor over branded merchandise.

  • June 16, 2025

    US Tech Biz Saves Quantum Computing Patent In Europe

    A California-based technology company has fought off a challenge to its quantum computing patent in Europe, persuading an appeals panel to uphold an amended version of the blueprint in a decision released Monday.

  • June 16, 2025

    Water Drainage Biz Sues UK Rival For Copying Rooftop Patent

    A German water drainage company has sued Radmat Building Products, a U.K. construction materials supplier in London, accusing its competitor of unlawfully copying its patent for drainage technology used for a type of flat roof.

  • June 13, 2025

    Baby-Clothes Maker Fights Amazon Ban In Bike Design Row

    A baby-clothes maker has sued a homewares retailer for getting one of its Amazon product listings struck off the site, arguing that it didn't infringe the retailer's registered design because the bike accessory concept wasn't new. 

  • June 13, 2025

    UPC To Roll Out New Case Management System In 2 Stages

    The Unified Patent Court has said that it will roll out its new case management system in two stages, explaining that lawyers will have to continue using the existing system to file cases and applications until September.

  • June 13, 2025

    LG Secures Patent For Video Compressing Device

    South Korean tech conglomerate LG Electronics has swayed officials at the European Patent Office to overturn a decision refusing its patent for a video compression technique aimed at reducing memory use and processing demands.

  • June 13, 2025

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen Tottenham Hotspur FC kick off against Manchester United co-owner Ineos Automotive following a soured sponsorship deal, Acer and Nokia clash over patents for video coding technology, and two investors reignite litigation against the founders of an AI exercise bike business that unlawfully pocketed $1.2 million in investments to fund their own lifestyles. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • June 13, 2025

    American Furniture Brand Can TM 'Furnico' Despite 'Furneco'

    A furniture maker has won its bid to register "Furnico" as a trademark despite a rival U.K. company having already registered "Furneco," after British officials ruled that its presence on the U.S. market for almost 20 years gave it a leg up. 

  • June 13, 2025

    Philip Morris Loses Bid To Invalidate E-Cigarette Patent

    A subsidiary of the tobacco company behind Golden Virginia and Rizla has held on to its electronic smoking device patent at a European appellate board, snubbing opposition by Philip Morris.

  • June 12, 2025

    Anti-Piracy Firm Founder Denies Undermining Company

    The founder of an anti-piracy technology company has pushed back on claims that he made disparaging comments about the business to clients and misused its confidential information when he departed.

  • June 12, 2025

    Google Beats Media Co.'s Fresh Appeal For 'Shorts' TM

    Google LLC has fended off a London media company's appeal against an earlier decision to partially cancel its "Shorts" trademark, marking the latest chapter in a years-long trademark tussle over the rights to the word in the world of short-form video.

  • June 12, 2025

    Christian Group Can't Register 'He Gets Us' As EU TM 

    A U.S. evangelical Christian group can't register as a European trademark the Jesus-focused "He Gets Us" slogan popularized by the group's Super Bowl ads because European officials found this week that consumers would understand it described the organization's religious promotional services. 

  • June 12, 2025

    Pet Clothes Biz Says Rival Copied Medical Shirt Design

    A Dutch company that makes shirts for pets to wear after treatment has launched legal proceedings against a U.K. rival for allegedly infringing its copyright by selling a range of shirts "highly similar" to its own pet recovery garments.

  • June 11, 2025

    Coinbase Loses 'Bad Faith' TM Clash With Rival At EU Court

    A European Union court tossed Coinbase's latest attempt to void a Japanese crypto exchange's "coinbase" trademark on Wednesday, ruling there was no proof the company acted in bad faith by registering the mark.

  • June 11, 2025

    Carlsberg, Heineken Must Face Attacks On Barley Drink Patent

    European officials will have to reconsider a patent for a barley-based beverage owned by Carlsberg and Heineken, after an appeals board ruled that a decision rejecting oppositions to the invention suffered from "fundamental deficiencies."

  • June 11, 2025

    Sherwin-Williams Lays Farrow & Ball 'Dead Flat' TM To Rest

    Luxury paint company Farrow & Ball has lost its trademark "dead flat" after a U.S. rival convinced U.K. trademark officials that the mark is merely an industry-standard description of a type of paint finish.

  • June 11, 2025

    Baklava Biz Denies Trying To Pass As Established Coffee Co.

    A London dessert shop has denied claims that it copied the trademarks of a 150-year-old Turkish coffee brand to mislead consumers into buying baklavas and other regional treats. 

  • June 11, 2025

    McDonald's Wins Big Mac TM Battle With Irish Fast Food Biz

    McDonald's has persuaded European Union officials to block two trademark applications from Supermac's, an Irish fast food chain, leaving its opponent in a pickle after proving there was a risk of confusion with its "Big Mac" branding.

Expert Analysis

  • Bribery Class Action Ruling May Revive Bifurcated Processes

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    The Court of Appeal's recent decision allowing the representative bribery action in Commission Recovery v. Marks & Clerk offers renewed hope for claimants to advance class claims using a bifurcated process amid its general absence as of late, say Jon Gale and Justin Browne at Ashurst.

  • Ocado Appeal Outcome Will Gauge UPC Transparency

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    As the sole Unified Patent Court case concerning third-party requests for court records, the forthcoming appeal decision in Ocado v. Autostore will hopefully set out a clear and consistent way to handle reasoned requests, as access to nonconfidential documents will surely lead to more efficient conduct of proceedings, says Tom Brazier at EIP.

  • Businesses Using AI Face Novel Privacy, Cybersecurity Risks

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    Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence are resulting in complex privacy and cybersecurity challenges for businesses, and with the forthcoming EU AI Act and enhancement of existing laws to ensure a high common level of security, key stakeholders should be empowered to manage associated risks, say lawyers at Goodwin.

  • Following The Road Map Toward Quantum Security

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    With the Financial Conduct Authority’s recent publication of a white paper on a quantum-secure financial sector, firms should begin to consider the quantum transition early — before the process is driven by regulatory obligations — with the goal of developing a cybersecurity architecture that is agile while also allowing for quantum security, say lawyers at Cleary.

  • AI Is Outpacing IP Law Frameworks

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    In Thaler v. Comptroller-General, the U.K. Supreme Court recently ruled that artificial intelligence can't be an inventor, but the discussion on the relationship between AI and intellectual property law is far from over, and it's clear that technology is developing faster than the legal framework, says Stephen Carter at The ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµ Works.

  • New Reduced EPO Fees May Shift Applicant Demographics

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    The upcoming European Patent Office fee reduction scheme, aimed at helping smaller organizations access the patent system, is a positive step that could help shift the applicant demographic, which has typically been dominated by larger businesses, says Annabel Williams at Marks & Clerk.

  • Mitigating And Managing Risks Of AI Use In Private Equity

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    While generative artificial intelligence has the ability to transform private equity firms and their portfolio companies, its deployment brings inherent risks, including those presented by the forthcoming EU AI Act, requiring appropriate risk management strategies, processes and policies to be adopted, says Barry Fishley at Weil.

  • Aldi Design Infringement Case Highlights Assessment Issues

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    The forthcoming English Court of Appeal decision in Marks and Spencer v. Aldi, regarding the alleged infringement of design rights, could provide practitioners with new guidance, particularly in relation to the relevant date for assessment of infringement and the weight that should be attributed to certain design elements in making this assessment, say Rory Graham and Georgia Davis at RPC.

  • Generative AI Raises IP, Data Protection And Contracts Issues

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    As the EU's recent agreement on the Artificial Intelligence Act has fueled businesses' interest in adopting generative AI tools, it is crucial to understand how these tools utilize material to generate output and what questions to ask in relation to intellectual property, data privacy and contracts, say lawyers at Deloitte Legal.

  • Vodafone Decision Highlights Wide Scope Of UK's FDI Rules

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    The U.K. government’s recently imposed conditions required for its approval of Vodafone and Etisalat’s strategic relationship agreement under its National Security and Investment Act jurisdiction, illustrating the significance of the act as an important factor for transactions with a U.K. link, says Matthew Hall at McGuireWoods.

  • What The EU AI Act Could Mean For Patent Law

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    As the EU Artificial Intelligence Act has now been endorsed by all member states, companies and patent owners with interests in the bloc may want to prepare for when the act enters into force, including by considering potential subject matter exclusions, says Terence Broderick at Murgitroyd.

  • Considering A Practical FRAND Rate Assessment Procedure

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    As the debate over a fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory rate continues inside and outside courtrooms, a practical method may assess whether the proposed FRAND rate deviates significantly from what is reasonable, and ensure an optimal mix of assets for managers of standard-essential patent portfolios, says consultant Gordon Huang.

  • How AI Inventorship Is Evolving In The UK, EU And US

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    While the U.K. Supreme Court's recent decision in Thaler v. Comptroller-General is the latest in a series of decisions by U.K., U.S. and EU authorities that artificial intelligence systems cannot be named as inventors in patents, the guidance from these jurisdictions suggests that patents may be granted to human inventors that use AI as a sophisticated tool, say lawyers at Mayer Brown.

  • Cos. Should Plan Now For Extensive EU Data Act Obligations

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    The recently enacted EU Data Act imposes wide-ranging requirements across industries and enterprises of all sizes, and with less than 20 months until the provisions begin to apply, businesses planning compliance will need to incorporate significant product changes and revision of contract terms, say Nick Banasevic, Robert Spano and Ciara O'Gara at Gibson Dunn. 

  • UK Ruling Revitalizes Discussions On Harmonizing AI And IP

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    The U.K. Supreme Court's decision in Thaler v. Comptroller-General last month has reinvigorated ongoing discussions about how the developments in artificial intelligence fit within the existing intellectual property legislative landscape, illustrating that effective regulation will be critical as the value and influence of this sector grows, say Nick White and Olivia Gray at Charles Russell.

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