At Serjeants, we deal directly with the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO), European Patent Office (EPO), and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) on behalf of our clients. Here, we set out the support measures for IP applicants that each of these offices have...
Update: 25 February 2020 Since posting our earlier blog (see below) on the issues surrounding the trade mark application for SUSSEX ROYAL, Her Majesty The Queen has refused to let the Duke and Duchess of Sussex use the word 'Royal' to promote their brand. As a...
The decision in the highly anticipated trade mark case of Sky v Skykick was issued on 29 January 2020 by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which means that trade mark holders will not need to amend registrations with broad specifications. Key facts...
With Brexit now upon us, the specialist patent and trade mark attorneys at Serjeants provide an update on how your intellectual property (IP) will be affected as the UK leaves the EU. Timing The United Kingdom will formally leave the European Union on 31 January 2020 but...
Last year saw Brazil, Canada and Malaysia join an international agreement, known as the Madrid System, that enables the easy and cost-effective registration of trade marks in multiple countries. There are now 122 countries signed up the system covering more than 80% of world trade. The...
Following the recent case of Shanks vs Unilever, Serjeants takes a closer look at the changes to the way in which an invention is considered to have provided an “outstanding benefit” to employers. Outstanding benefit Inventions made by an employee, either in the course of their employment...
Over the past few years gin has become the popular drink of choice. But coming up with a suitable name for a particular brand of gin has proven difficult for one company recently, who attempted to register ‘Vera Lynn’ as a trade mark for their...
Following a well-publicised case over Aldi selling a copycat Charlotte Tilbury product, Serjeants explains how the product was banned from sale despite Aldi not infringing any trade mark registrations. [caption id="attachment_896" align="alignright" width="250"] By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55257057[/caption] The Aldi business model Aldi’s business model involves the...
When a recent trade mark application from Liverpool FC received a large number of threatened oppositions, they decided to withdraw the mark. Serjeants’ trade mark attorneys explain: [caption id="attachment_887" align="alignright" width="222"] By Source, Fair use, https://hif.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24784[/caption] On 20 June 2019 Liverpool FC filed for a trade mark...
Trade marks can become vulnerable to cancellation after five years if they are not used on all the goods and services applied for. To get around this, some brands re-file their marks to ensure they remain valid. Hasbro, owners of the well-known board game Monopoly,...
