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...
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,...
The BBC recently reported on two patent applications that have been filed with an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system named as the inventor. This move by academics is to challenge the rule that innovations can only be attributed to humans. The patent attorneys at Serjeants explain...
Protecting your intellectual property isn’t just for big businesses – it can add value to any business, providing you apply for the correct type of protection. In this brief guide to IP, Serjeants explains the different types of IP protection, the business benefits and how...
China has long been aware of the criticisms of its trade mark system made by overseas business and, over the last few years, has sought to address those criticisms through law reform. The latest reforms to be implemented came in April this year, apparently driven by...
In a recent, long-standing case involving fashion brand Zara, the retailer successfully blocked a travel company from registering a similar trade mark due to social media platforms ‘blurring’ the lines between products and services. Here, we explain the key facts of the case and the impact...
In order for an invention to be patentable it must be new and inventive compared to any information that was publicly available before the filing of the first patent application for the invention. In other words, if the existence of an invention has been revealed to...
While we still await clarity regarding when, and under what terms, the UK will leave the EU, what we do know is how Brexit will affect IP rights. Here, Serjeants provides an overview of how Brexit will impact Intellectual Property rights and what you should...
