Intellectual property (IP) protection is essential for people working across a wide range of industries, from business owners to people working in creative services. With a proper understanding of IP law, you can ensure that your work is thoroughly protected, and...
Many organisations are unaware of the importance of their company's intangible assets, although they are frequently crucial to developing a relationship with customers. A trademark logo or brand-specific designs or colour combinations can help your business stick out...
Although starting a new business is exciting, it can also be daunting. One of the most complicated aspects to bear in mind is using a brand name and a trademark. Although it may seem easy, there is always the potential for conflicts, some knowing how to avoid them is...
Your intellectual property is something you’ve created with your own mind, whether your brand name, your invention, your product’s design, or something you’ve written, made, or produced. For many individuals and companies, these are extremely valuable assets. With...
If a trademark is officially registered, the mark’s owner has rights conferred on them under the 1994 Trademarks Act. That means they can prevent any unauthorised third-party usage of their trademark with respect to the specified services or goods. Furthermore, a...
Arguably one of the hardest parts of filing a trademark application is knowing what terms you need to include to protect your business. It is important that you cover the goods/services that are applicable to your business in your trademark application as that...
Often, employers are asked to give references for employees. We know that employers are aware of the potential risks however they remain unsure of what should and shouldn’t be mentioned in those references. Here, we give you a clear employers references guide that...
There are times in any company when removing one of the directors appears to be the best course of action for all of the parties involved. However, knowing how to go about it can be challenging. There are a number of pitfalls and risks associated with attempting to do...
For many people, copyright law as a concept isn’t always clear. Too often, uncertainty exists around whether the copyright is owned by them, or what could happen if it’s copied without their permission. In order to better navigate the complexities of copyright law,...
Duration and renewal of a UK trade mark A registered trademark can provide relatively long lasting protection, staying in place for ten years. However, the registration perod will come to an end, which can be worrying for...
Many small businesses are often busy taking care of all the important aspects needed to run on a daily basis, however one of the aspects often overlooked by newly registered or young companies is trademarking. A trademark is an essential piece of intellectual property...
Brand loyalty and awareness are very important for all types of business, however, the more consumers recognise a brand, the more likely that brand is to experience infringement by competitors. Trade mark copycats are, therefore, relatively commonplace. Designing a...
If you are using a trade mark for your business or organisation which has not been registered you still have some rights under common law. While it is always best to register your trade mark, unregistered rights receive protection under the tort of passing off. This...
If a third party has been using your registered trade mark without your authorisation, you can obtain remedies for the infringement of your mark. A trade mark’s owner is eligible to recover damages that relate to the acts of trade mark infringement in question. These...
A trade mark’s owner may recover damages that relate to any acts of infringement. The amounts that can be received in such cases will depend on how the damages and losses are calculated. Taking professional advice is therefore important in order for the claimant to...
We now live in what some may say is the ‘digital era’. The protection of trademarks has become increasingly necessary for businesses. You will often be advised that your trademark should be protected. However, are you advised on what may be considered an...
We often get calls from business owners who have recently learned that their business name is being used by another company or person. They want to know what can be done to stop the use of their business name, and what it will cost to get the work done. If you have a...
Netflix in hot water over suspected trade mark infringement in latest “Black Mirror” instalment.
Our clients frequently ask us about the consequences of Brexit (the UK’s departure from the EU) for their intellectual property (“IP”), including for their trade marks and designs. In the first of a series of articles, we outline the possible consequences of Brexit...
Many new entrepreneurs are very secretive of their new business idea. Their thinking is that if they were to share a business idea with others, they risk being copied. This is sometimes an unfounded fear and it is worth understanding how your startup can be legally...
Good design lies at the heart of any good business. An excellent design transforms a product into a brand- think Coca-Cola’s distinctively curvaceous bottle or the iPhone’s iconic product design- so it’s important to protect the appearance of your product. The most...
It is often believed that the only way to effectively protect your company’s sign (name, slogan, logo, colour, shapes etc) is to obtain a trade mark registration. This might be true in most cases, but in others it is also or only possible to protect your sign through...
Does the use of a trade mark in Google Adwords considered to be an infringement? What about the use of trade marks as keywords to trigger an ad on Adwords? Early last year, Samsung gained some positive coverage within the marketing industry for running the ad shown...
Plenty of great mobile apps in recent years have gone on to be huge successes. Just think of WhatsApp or Instagram. Some could say that app development is in its ‘golden age’ right now. The app market is huge, and by next year, there will be almost 2.5 billion...
