Legal Briefs
An alternative to trademark protection
The UK Company Names Tribunal has issued its first decision under section 69 of the Companies Act 2006. But what are the implications for brand owners asks Georgia Warren...  »
The IP guide to: The internet
The freedom of users to contribute material to the internet and the ease with which the information is disseminated across borders can confuse the boundaries of ownership and legal responsibility. Dan....  »
Can you trademark sound?
Although brand owners are keen to protect the sounds and jingles associated with their products and services, the system for registering and trademarking them on a worldwide scale is far from consiste....  »
Expired copyright: Is Popeye fair game?
Popeye’s copyright expired in January 2009. But does this mean that the cartoon figure is free for use asks Steve Kuncewicz...  »
The Federal Circuit's Wyeth v. Kappos decision
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has released guidelines explaining how patentees of recently issued patents may request the recalculation of the terms of those patents...  »
India: The Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill
According to law firm Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, India is poised to accede to the Madrid Protocol. This is good news for brand owners...  »
The IP guide to… Auction sites
The battle against the sale of counterfeit goods through online trading platforms is an expensive and time-consuming exercise for brand owners. And recent conflicting rulings for and against the eBay ....  »
The Patents Act 1977: Understanding ‘outstanding benefit’
When does an employee’s contribution to a patented invention become worthy of additional compensation?...  »
Biopiracy: ‘We must protect the IP of indigenous communities’
The IP of indigenous communities has been subject to infringement by developed countries for time immemorial. Now is the time to crack down on biopiracy and the unlawful use of ‘traditional knowledg....  »
New Zealand updates patent law
New Zealand is about to make the most significant changes to its patent law in more than 50 years. Frank Callus and Adrian Evans review some of the proposed changes...  »