Intellectual Property UK

  • July 15, 2026

    Google's Attack On Cloud Computing Patent Meets Pushback

    A U.S. company has defended its data processing patent amid an ongoing infringement claim against Google, urging a London court to dismiss the tech giant's argument that the patent contains nothing inventive.

  • July 14, 2026

    Display Maker Says AI-Made Images Don't Infringe Rival's IP

    An exhibition stand supplier has pushed back against claims that it infringed a rival's copyright by using copycat photographs to market products online, arguing that it used artificial intelligence tools to create ultimately distinct images.

  • July 14, 2026

    Snapchat Sues Dolby In Clash Over Patented Video Tech

    Snapchat has brought an action against Dolby in a London court after the two companies recently clashed in the U.S. and Brazil over the audio technology giant's patented video compression technology.

  • July 14, 2026

    UPC Opens Simpler Path To Defense Of Dependent Claims

    European appellate judges have clarified that patent owners need not amend their patents to defend dependent claims, strengthening their ability to rely on narrower fallback claims when broader ones are challenged.

  • July 14, 2026

    HDMI Connector Shape Can't Function As TM, EUIPO Says

    The licensing company for the HDMI technology standard cannot register a trademark depicting the front-facing connecting component of a cable, as European officials ruled that shoppers would not see this shape as expressing anything beyond HDMI compatibility.

  • July 14, 2026

    Heineken Can't Void NZ Distillery's Boozy Penguin TM

    Heineken has lost its challenge against a New Zealand distillery's trademark for a penguin serving a cocktail as European Union officials said there is no risk of confusion with the brewery's own penguin-branded alcoholic drinks.

  • July 14, 2026

    Manufacturer Says Distributor Infringed Pipe Connector Patent

    A pipe fittings manufacturer has accused an Irish distributor of infringing its patent over a tool that joins pipework without welding, asking a London court to block its opponent from any further alleged transgressions.

  • July 13, 2026

    Portofino Says Citadel Used Dismissal To Fuel Press Campaign

    Portofino Technologies has accused Citadel Securities of using its decision to drop its trade secrets lawsuit against the Swiss cryptocurrency trading firm as an opportunity to drum up bad press about Portofino, and papering over the fact that an $8 million judgment it won in the dispute is a "pyrrhic victory."

  • July 13, 2026

    Distillery Loses 'Green Vodka' TM For Vodka In UK

    Distiller Masons of Yorkshire has lost a trademark for "Green Vodka" over many alcoholic beverages, after a Cypriot rival convinced British officials that shoppers could think the spirit was connected to its "Green Mark Vodka" brand.

  • July 13, 2026

    Jellycat Sues Hamleys, Next Over Copycat Plushies

    Jellycat has accused both toy shop Hamleys and retailer Next of selling copycats of its popular smiling plush toys in new claims in a London court. 

  • July 13, 2026

    Philip Morris Can't Snuff Out 'Manchester' TM In Font Duel

    European officials have rejected Philip Morris' attempt to nix a Dubai-based tobacco company's trademark for "Manchester" in a similar serif font to its "Marlboro" brand of cigarettes, concluding it was unlikely that shoppers would confuse the starkly different signs.

  • July 13, 2026

    SharkNinja Loses Patent For Foldable Vacuum Cleaner

    A European appeals panel has revoked SharkNinja's patent for a foldable vacuum cleaner, ruling in a decision published Monday that the granted patent extended beyond the company's original application.

  • July 13, 2026

    Treasury Commits £500M To IP-Rich Small Businesses

    Small businesses with valuable intellectual property assets will receive £500 million ($669 million) in financing from the U.K. government's economic development bank over the next year, HM Treasury said Monday.

  • July 10, 2026

    ZTE Appeals To Revive 5G Patent At UPC

    ZTE has appealed a Unified Patent Court ruling that revoked the Chinese telecommunications giant's 5G standard-essential patents, which ZTE had accused Samsung of infringing.

  • July 10, 2026

    LVMH Group Wins Payout From Counterfeit Luxury Retailer

    Luxury goods giant LVMH has been awarded £213,000 ($285,000) after a London judge ruled that an Essex-based retailer sold counterfeit goods that infringed the trademarks of four of its luxury fashion labels, including Fendi and Dior.

  • July 10, 2026

    Stada Denied Speedy Trial In Novartis Heart Drug Patent Case

    German pharmaceutical company Stada on Friday was denied a quick trial of its bid to launch a generic version of a major Novartis heart failure treatment as a London judge found that it had been slow to file its claim.

  • July 10, 2026

    Britvic Denies Flouting IP For 'Magic Mushroom Cabin' Photo

    Soft drinks giant Britvic has denied it infringed a couple's copyright by using a photo of their mushroom-shaped glamping cabin in a prize draw, arguing the pair have failed to establish ownership of the image or any resulting loss.

  • July 10, 2026

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

    The past week in London has seen lawyer Ian Rosenblatt launch legal action against music mogul Simon Cowell, Boohoo face a fresh investor claim after previously facing allegations that it feigned ignorance of labor abuses in its supply chain, and an ex-Tory MP and his chief of staff sued by their former employer. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • July 09, 2026

    Ian Rosenblatt Sues Simon Cowell After Leaving Exec's Biz

    The founder of Rosenblatt Solicitors has sued Simon Cowell in a London court almost a year after resigning as a director from companies within the television personality's entertainment business. 

  • July 09, 2026

    Canal+ Denies Owing UK Biz €2M In Licensing Fee Row

    Canal+ has denied owing DAZN more than €2.1 million ($2.4 million) in licensing fees, claiming the sports broadcaster undercut Canal+'s exclusive right to stream women's tennis when it failed to disclose a sublicensing deal with a competitor.

  • July 09, 2026

    Anne Frank Geo-Blocking Enough To Avoid Copyright Claim

    Europe's top court ruled Thursday that a company isn't liable for copyright infringement if it uses adequate geo-blocking measures to restrict access to a publication that is still protected in some jurisdictions, backing the Anne Frank Foundation in a Dutch dispute. 

  • July 09, 2026

    Equine Cosmetics Co. Sues Rival For Using 'Naked Horse' IP

    A U.S. equestrian grooming company has accused a rival business of infringing its "Naked Horse" trademark by using nearly identical branding to mislead consumers into buying competing products. 

  • July 09, 2026

    Sports Data Co. Sues Ex-Exec Over Client List Emails

    A sports data and AI company has sued a former executive, accusing him of forwarding confidential client information to his personal email address.

  • July 09, 2026

    Justice Birss Tapped For New Master Of The Rolls

    The judiciary said Thursday that intellectual property specialist Justice Colin Birss will replace Geoffrey Vos as Master of the Rolls, as he steps up to become head of civil justice in England and Wales.

  • July 09, 2026

    Britvic Blocks Syrup Maker's 'Shrub Club' TM For Soft Drinks

    Soft drinks giant Britvic has partially succeeded in blocking a Norwegian syrup maker's "Shrub Club" trademark after convincing EU officials that consumers were likely to confuse it with its "Club" range.

Expert Analysis

  • AI Inventorship Patent Options After UK Supreme Court Ruling

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    The U.K. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Thaler v. Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks that an AI system cannot be an inventor raises questions about alternative approaches to patent protection for AI-generated inventions and how the decision might affect infringement and validity disputes around such patents, says David Knight at Brown Rudnick.

  • Acquisition Of AI Tech Poses Challenges For Media Industry

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    The artificial intelligence regulatory landscape is changing quickly, and media and entertainment companies planning to acquire AI technology through a merger, acquisition or licensing deal should be mindful of potential new compliance requirements and AI-specific insurance products, say lawyers at Covington.

  • Cos. Should Weave Metaverse Considerations Into IP Strategy

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    In light of the increasing importance of intellectual property protection in digital contexts, including a growing number of court rulings and recent updates to the classification of digital assets, companies should include the metaverse as part of their trademark strategy to prevent potential infringements, says Gabriele Engels at D Young & Co.

  • Mitigating Compliance And Litigation Risks Of Evolving Tech

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    Amid artificial intelligence and other technological advances, companies must prepare for the associated risks, including a growing suite of privacy regulations, enterprising class action theories and consumer protection challenges, and proliferating disclosure obligations, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

  • Major EU AI Banking Ruling Will Reverberate Across Sectors

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    Following the European Court of Justice's recent OQ v. Land Hessen decision that banks' use of AI-driven credit scores to make consumer decisions did not comply with the General Data Protection Regulation, regulators indicated that the ruling would apply broadly, leaving numerous industries that employ AI-powered decisions open to scrutiny, say lawyers at Alston & Bird.

  • English Could Be The Future Language Of The UPC

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    While most Unified Patent Court proceedings are currently held in German, the recent decisions in Plant-e v. Arkyne and Amgen v. Sanofi potentially signal that English will be the preferred language, particularly in cases involving small and medium enterprises, say lawyers at Freshfields.

  • Arbitration Remains Attractive For Digital Disputes In 2024

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    Recent regulatory and digital forum developments highlight that, in 2024, arbitration will continue to adapt to new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, and remain an attractive forum for resolving digital disputes due to its flexibility, confidentiality and comparative ease to enforce cross-border awards, says Peter Smith at Charles Russell.

  • US And UK Law Firms Continue Trend Of EU Expansion

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    A broad spectrum of U.S. and U.K. law firms are now seeking fresh opportunities in Europe's fastest growing and constantly evolving sectors by opening offices in strategic locations across the continent, says James Lavan at Buchanan Law.

  • Looking Ahead At AI Regulation In The EU And UK

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    With AI regulation agreed upon in Europe and a U.K. regulatory authority on the horizon, organizations developing AI should consider deploying governance, addressing accountability and establishing internal guardrails to achieve a balanced approach to responsible innovation while managing risk, says Chris Eastham at Fieldfisher.

  • 2024 Will Be A Busy Year For Generative AI And IP Issues

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    In light of increased litigation and policy proposals on balancing intellectual property rights and artificial intelligence innovation, 2024 is shaping up to be full of fast-moving developments that will have significant implications for AI tool developers, users of such tools and rights holders, say lawyers at Mishcon de Reya.

  • The Most-Read Law360 UK Guest Articles Of 2023

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    Benefits of the new EU Unified Patent Court, artificial intelligence regulation and M&A trends amid rising inflation were among the hot topics U.K. Expert Analysis articles explored this year.

  • So You Want To Write A Guest Article?

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    If your New Year's resolution is to spend more time writing, here's everything you need to know to pitch guest article ideas to Law360.

  • 9 Takeaways From The UPC's First 6 Months In Session

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    Six months after its opening, the Unified Patent Court has established itself as an appealing jurisdiction, with its far territorial reach, short filing deadlines and extremely quick issuance of preliminary injunctions showing that it is well-prepared to provide for rapid legal clarity, says Antje Brambrink at Finnegan.

  • The Year In FRAND: What To Know Heading Into 2024

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    In 2023, there were eight significant developments concerning the fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory patent licensing regime that undergirds technical standardization, say Tom Millikan and Kevin Zeck at Perkins Coie.

  • How Int'l Student-Athlete Law Would Change The NIL Game

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    Recently proposed legislation to allow international student-athletes the opportunity to profit from their name, image and likeness without violating their F-1 nonimmigrant student visa status represents a pivotal step in NIL policy, and universities must assess and adapt their approaches to accommodate unique immigration concerns, say attorneys at Phelps Dunbar.

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