Intellectual Property UK

  • September 18, 2026

    WH Smith Sues Former Indian Franchisee For Infringing Brand

    WH Smith has sued a former Indian franchisee for more than £5 million ($6.7 million) for allegedly continuing to use the travel retailer's branding after the franchise agreement ended and failing to pay years of fees.

  • September 18, 2026

    Case Stays Don't Reset The Clock On Deadlines, UPC Says

    The Unified Patent Court has rejected a Belgian printing company's bid for more time to defend itself against a rival's patent infringement claim, ruling that a stay for settlement negotiations did not reset the clock for filing deadlines.

  • September 18, 2026

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

    The past week in London has seen Victoria's Secret and Thomas Pink file competing IP claims, more than 1,000 retail consumers launch a group action against Binance, Baker Hughes targeted in a commercial claim by its former Russian subsidiary and university students hit four British institutions with breach of contract claims over pandemic-era closures.

  • September 18, 2026

    UPC Taps Two Judges For Paris, Mannheim Divisions

    The Unified Patent Court has appointed two judges to its Court of First Instance as it continues to expand its bench across Europe.

  • September 17, 2026

    UPC Says National Laws Govern Repeat Patent Challenges

    Appellate judges for the Unified Patent Court have held that national law dictates whether courts have the final say on patent validity within its jurisdiction, backing a lower court's decision to not rule on specific issues already addressed in parallel German litigation.

  • September 24, 2026

    Freshfields IP Litigator Joins Carpmaels & Ransford

    Carpmaels & Ransford LLP said Thursday it has hired an intellectual property litigator from Freshfields LLP, bolstering its ranks with expertise in both London's courts and the Unified Patent Court.

  • September 17, 2026

    US Gov't Wins Appeal Over COVID-19 Vaccine Patent

    The U.S. government has won a second shot at patenting a technique to make coronavirus spike proteins for use in vaccines, as a European appellate panel found that an amended version of claims had eliminated a problematic feature.

  • September 17, 2026

    Biotech Biz Can't Use UK Docs In Parallel UPC CRISPR Case

    Europe's patent court has refused to order a biotech company to hand over documents submitted in parallel U.K. proceedings over CRISPR technology, ruling that two rivals should have asked the British judge instead.

  • September 17, 2026

    Boston Scientific Can't Dislodge Rival's Heart Valve Patent

    A medical device maker has preserved its patent for a prosthetic heart valve after a European appellate board upheld a narrower version of its claims, despite a rival's arguments that earlier devices already disclosed its key features. 

  • September 17, 2026

    Hamleys Hits Back At Jellycat Over Smiling Plushies

    Hamleys has pushed back against a claim by Jellycat that it copied its smiling plush toys, arguing that other retailers sold food-inspired anthropomorphic plushies long before the toymaker launched its range.

  • September 16, 2026

    Netflix Hit With Video Playback Restrictions In Europe

    The Unified Patent Court has told Netflix to stop providing streaming services that infringe a U.S. company's patent for a way of watching videos that are not fully downloaded.

  • September 16, 2026

    GM Can't Get EU TM For 'Super Cruise' System

    General Motors cannot secure European trademark rights for its hands-free driving system Super Cruise, with the EU's Intellectual Property Office holding that the name is too descriptive to warrant protection.

  • September 16, 2026

    Insurance Broker Blocks Maritime Fund Manager's 'EMF' TM

    An insurance broker has convinced European officials to nix a finance company's trademark for "EMF," after showing that clients might believe the rival's services are linked to its existing EFM brand.

  • September 16, 2026

    Jellycat Sues Home Bargains Over Knockoff Plushies

    Jellycat has sued Home Bargains for allegedly selling copycat versions of its popular smiling plush toys, arguing that shoppers would struggle to tell them apart because of their cute anthropomorphic features.

  • September 16, 2026

    Lost Mary Vape's Owner Defeats TM Bid For 'Lost Angel'

    The owner of the popular "Lost Mary" vape brand has persuaded European officials to deny a rival's trademark for "Lost Angel" after showing that shoppers would probably think the two were connected. 

  • September 15, 2026

    InterDigital Sues Disney For €102M Over Streaming IP

    InterDigital has filed yet another claim against Disney in an international fight over video streaming technology, this time asking a German court to make Disney pay €101.7 million ($117.4 million) in damages for the unauthorized use of its patented technology.

  • September 15, 2026

    Music Promoters Ordered To Pay £1.4M In Licensing Dispute

    A London judge on Tuesday ordered two music promotion companies to pay £1.4 million ($1.8 million) to NoCopyrightSounds Ltd. as an interim sum in an ongoing licensing dispute, after the companies themselves acknowledged they still owed millions of dollars to the royalty-free music label. 

  • September 15, 2026

    Dutch Court Pauses CRISPR Patent Battle Over EPO Appeal

    A Dutch court has put two cases involving a CRISPR patent to edit DNA on hold, ruling that its hands were tied until the European Patent Office has heard an appeal from the patent owner following its revocation. 

  • September 15, 2026

    Debenhams Sells Nasty Gal For $16M To Von Dutch Owner

    Debenhams Group said Tuesday that it has sold women's fast-fashion brand Nasty Gal to White Space Group New York for $16 million, after recently announcing the sale of a distribution center to Primark. 

  • September 15, 2026

    Black Lives Matter Denied TM For Anti-Racist Slogan

    The civil rights organization behind Black Lives Matter has failed to register the phrase as a trademark, as European officials ruled that the public would see it as an anti-racism slogan rather than a name tied exclusively to the group.

  • September 15, 2026

    Manufacturer Defends Validity Of Pipe Connector Patent

    A manufacturer of plumbing fittings has defended the validity of its patent for a tool that joins pipework without welding amid its infringement claim against a distributor in a London court.

  • September 14, 2026

    Victoria's Secret Says UK Retailer Is Making 'PINK' Ripoffs

    Victoria's Secret has alleged a United Kingdom men's shirt business makes women's apparel with "PINK" marks that are sold by retailers like Fashion Nova and Charlotte Russe, and that has prompted consumer confusion and complaints about the quality and appearance of the copycat products.

  • September 14, 2026

    Moderna Can't Trim BioNTech's RNA Infringement Claim

    The Unified Patent Court has denied Moderna's early attempt to narrow a BioNTech unit's RNA infringement claim, ruling that the company's jurisdictional challenge must wait until the case is in full swing.

  • September 14, 2026

    Fashion Label Denies Improper Use Of Photographer's Images

    Fairfax & Favor has denied misusing a photographer's copyright protected work, arguing that he agreed to transfer the rights in his photos to the English luxury brand as part of their initial licensing agreement.

  • September 14, 2026

    Fish Vase Business Pours Cold Water On Rival's Dutch Sales

    A manufacturer has convinced a Dutch court to stop a U.K. competitor from selling fish-shaped vases under the name Bubble Jug, after demonstrating that consumers could confuse them with its established Gluggle Jug range.

Expert Analysis

  • What New Int'l Treaty Means For Global AI Regulation

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    Lawyers at Bird & Bird consider how global artificial intelligence regulation will be affected by the first international AI treaty recently signed by the U.S., EU and U.K., as well as its implications for business and several issues that stakeholders should be aware of.

  • HMRC Transfer Pricing Guide A Vital Resource For Businesses

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    HM Revenue & Customs' recent guidelines on common transfer pricing compliance risks should be required reading for affected businesses in indicating HMRC's expected benchmark for documents and policies, say Tomoko Ikawa and Kapisha Vyas at Simmons & Simmons.

  • Comparing Apples To Oranges In EPO Claim Interpretation

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    A referral before the Enlarged Board of Appeal could fundamentally change the role that descriptions play in claims interpretation at the European Patent Office, altering best drafting practices for patent applications construed there, say lawyers at Finnegan.

  • Why India May Become A Major Patent Litigation Forum

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    India is reinventing itself with the goal of becoming a global hot spot for patent litigation, with recent developments at the Delhi High Court creating incentives for plaintiffs to assert patent rights in India, say Ranganath Sudarshan at Covington and IP litigator Udit Sood.

  • Takeaways From UPC's Amgen Patent Invalidity Analysis

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    The Unified Patent Court Central Division's decision in Regeneron v. Amgen to revoke a patent for lack of inventive step is particularly clear in its reasoning and highlights the risks to patentees of the new court's central revocation powers, say Jane Evenson and Caitlin Heard at CMS.

  • UK Approach To AI Patentability Appears Settled For Now

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    After a High Court ruling upended the status quo last year, the Court of Appeal’s recent decision that Emotional Perception’s artificial neural network is not patentable represents a return to the U.K.’s familiar, albeit often complex, approach to patentability of artificial intelligence technology and computer programs generally, say lawyers at Potter Clarkson.

  • AI Reforms Prompt Fintech Compliance Considerations

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    With the EU Artificial Intelligence Act's Aug. 1 enforcement, and the U.K.'s new plans to introduce AI reforms, fintech companies should consider how to best focus limited resources as they balance innovation and compliance, says Nicola Kerr-Shaw at Skadden.

  • 10 Ways To Manage AI Risks In Service Contracts

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    With the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act coming into force on Aug. 1 and introducing a new regulatory risk, and with AI technology continuing to develop at pace, parties to services arrangements should employ mechanisms now to build in flexibility and get on the front foot, says James Longster at Travers Smith.

  • What Future May Hold For AI Innovation In UK Under Labour

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    Labour’s recent King's Speech was notable in its absence of discussion of a comprehensive artificial intelligence bill, and while this may indicate to many that the UK is open for business, the party’s approach to cross-sectoral engagement will be critical for shaping Britain's AI landscape in the near term, says Alexander Amato-Cravero at Herbert Smith.

  • Don't Wing Settlements: Lessons From Morley's TM Ruling

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    In Morley's v. Sivakumar, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court recently found that a fast-food franchiser had breached a fried chicken franchise's trademark rights, despite a prior settlement agreement, offering lessons on drafting express terms to ensure IP protection, say Nessa Khandaker and Clare Cornell at Finnegan.

  • Use Or Lose It: European TM Ruling Stresses 'Genuine Use'

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    The European Union General Court recently dismissed an action to revoke trademark protections for a lack of use in Sta Grupa v. EU Intellectual Property Office, offering significant insight into the intricacies of assessing evidence of genuine use in revocation actions, says Sumi Nadarajah at FRKelly.

  • 1 Year At The UPC: Implications For Transatlantic Disputes

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    In its first year, the Unified Patent Court has issued important decisions on procedures like provisional measures, but complexities remain when it comes to coordinating proceedings across jurisdictions like the U.S. due to differences in timelines and discovery practices, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Trends, Tips From 7 Years Of EPO Antibody Patent Appeals

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    Recent years of European Patent Office decisions reveal some surprising differences between appeals involving therapeutic antibody patents and those for other technologies, offering useful insight into this developing area of European case law for future antibody patent applicants, say Alex Epstein and Jane Evenson at CMS.

  • Companies Trading In The EU Should Heed Mondelēz Ruling

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    The European Commission’s recent €337.5 million fine of Mondelēz is the latest decision targeting restrictions on EU cross-border trade, and serves as a warning to companies active in the region to check their contracts and practices for illegal restraints, and to perform audits to ensure compliance, says Matthew Hall at McGuireWoods.

  • 4 Takeaways From Biotech Patent Invalidity Ruling

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    The recent Patents Court decision in litigation between Advanced Cell Diagnostics and Molecular Instruments offers noteworthy commentary on issues related to experiments done in the ordinary course of business, joint importation, common general knowledge and mindset, and mosaicking for anticipation, say Nessa Khandaker and Darren Jiron at Finnegan.

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