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As December approaches, you may have considered purchasing (for another, or just yourself!) an advent calendar to mark the run-up to Christmas. Traditionally all about revealing seasonal pictures or chocolate, the cosmetics industry has in recent years created its own version that is now a growing market: the beauty advent calendar. These offer an array… Read more »
This article was first published in the November 2024 issue of CITMA Review, the journal of the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA). For more information on CITMA, please visit citma.org.uk On 5th June 2024, the EU’s General Court (GC) issued its judgment in the appeal brought by Supermac’s (Holdings) Ltd against the… Read more »
Black History Month is celebrated in the UK each October. It provides a chance for everyone to share, celebrate and better understand the achievements of black people both within the UK and around the world. Each year, a different theme is announced to focus attention on a particular issue, and this year’s theme is “Reclaiming… Read more »
Are toys which accurately replicate real products equivalent to virtual goods? If so, what do cases about replica toys teach us about how the Courts will assess infringement and the similarity of goods vs their virtual equivalent? In our latest article in this series, we build on the decision of the EU IPO in Opposition… Read more »
Pharmaceutical team member Suzanne Power provides a legal update of UK Trade Mark case law This article was published in the September 2024 issue of PTMG’s Law, Lore & Practice Whilst many in July were enjoying a well-earned summer break, the officials at the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO) were busy publishing… Read more »
As we move further into 2024, the UK IPO continues to demonstrate rigorous examination of trade mark applications. The first six months of the year have seen a string of refusals, particularly concerning attempts to register emblems that hold protected status. In this instalment, we continue to explore these cases, offering a closer look at… Read more »
International patent applications filed using the Patent Cooperation Treaty (‘PCT’) framework allow applicants to select the contracting states of interest for national and/or regional phase applications. The deadline to file an application in any specific country or region is usually 30 or 31 months from the application’s priority date. The deadline for specific countries and… Read more »
In our latest article on Trademarks in the Metaverse, we look at a recent decision from the EU IPO in Opposition No. B003199946 Vinicio v Initio. This decision is interesting as it is one of the first decisions in which the EU IPO has had to consider the similarity of physical goods against virtual goods… Read more »
With the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 now underway there will be many participants who are using this opportunity not only to vie for that Gold Medal but also to create a platform for their personal brand to extend their career in sport beyond that of participation in the sport itself. Since the last… Read more »
Third party observations are a potentially very useful tool that enables substantive commentary to be filed in relation to pending patent applications. In this article, we will explore the benefits and potential drawbacks associated with third party observations and take a closer look at how the International and European observation procedures may be used to… Read more »