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Don't keep it a secret! New protection for trade secrets is nearly here
Member states have until 9 June 2018 to implement the Trade Secrets Directive. The UK is now ready to do so, with the Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018 having been laid before Parliament last week. In this blog we take a brief look at these regulations.
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Why your US colleagues are looking so relieved: SCOTUS issues its long awaited decision in Oil States
A sigh of relief could be heard from across the pond recently as the Supreme Court of the United States confirmed that inter partes review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board are not unconstitutional.
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German Federal Court of Justice ruling: Ad-blockers are allowed
There has been a fundamental conflict between German media companies and providers of so-called advertising blockers used on the internet. The German Federal Court of Justice has just had to address this conflict in a recent case, as we discuss in this blog.
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New dynamics in Germany in dealing with grey market (luxury) goods?
Some companies create valuable brands with great ambition and perseverance, brands that are surrounded by an aura of luxury or have an image of absolute coolness. In this blog we look at a recent German decision concerning the Japanese luxury KANEBO brand, which follows soon after the landmark CJEU ruling in COTY.
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EU General Court locks luggage security firm Safe Skies out of favourable outcome
The EU General Court recently dismissed a trade mark invalidity appeal made by Safe Skies, a US-based luggage lock manufacturer. In this blog we look at some of the practical implications of this decision.
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Enough monkey business: Animals cannot sue for copyright infringement in the US
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has recently ruled that an animal may have constitutional standing but lacks the necessary statutory standing to file law suits for copyright infringement. The judgment follows a law suit filed by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) seeking confirmation that an animal could author a valid copyright work and, therefore, file a lawsuit for copyright infringement against a defendant third party.
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Too famous to be confused – Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi secures come from behind victory over owner of MASSI trade mark
Football megastar, Lionel Messi, has been successful before the General Court of the European Union in the latest round of a six and a half year legal battle to register the logo featuring his name as a European Union Trade Mark for sporting equipment and clothing.
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STOP PRESS: UK ratifies Unified Patent Court Agreement today
The government has announced this afternoon that UK has ratified the Unified Patent Court Agreement. This is exciting news for patent owners in the UK and across Europe.
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English court makes a call on jurisdiction for global FRAND licence
Are the English Courts the right forum for claims of patent infringement when the relief sought is the determination of a global FRAND licence? This was the question that Mr Justice Carr recently had to consider in Conversant Wireless Licensing SARL v Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
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There is no break for Kit Kat in court – latest opinion from the Advocate General
Nestlé's struggle to register its four-finger bar as a shape mark has just suffered another blow as Advocate General Wathelet has recommended that the CJEU dismisses its appeal against the EU General Court's decision, which essentially found that it had not acquired distinctive character across the entire EU. In this blog we take a brief look at the opinion and what it may mean in practice to brand owners.