Insights & News

Access to justice: IPEC 1 - MoJ 0 (Brands & IP Newsnotes - issue 1)

27 September 2015

Conducting litigation in a cost effective and proportionate manner can be a challenge, especially if it involves big brand owners going toe to toe. But help is at hand in the form of the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (‘IPEC’).

It never rains, but it pours…(Brands & IP Newsnotes - issue 1)

27 September 2015

Registered designs are used to protect the appearance of products. In considering whether to allow registration, several factors come into play: what else is already out there (the ‘prior art’); who will use it (the ‘informed user’); and what ‘degree of freedom’ does the designer have in arriving at the particular design?

EU trade mark reforms come closer (Brands & IP newsnotes - issue 1)

27 September 2015

Seven years after the European Commission started its evaluation of the European trade marks framework, the texts of the new proposed legislation were finally published in June 2015.

What’s New Copycat? (Brands & IP newsnotes - issue 1)

27 September 2015

Last year, consumer group Which? carried out a comprehensive survey of the copycat product packaging market in the UK. It found that over 150 of retailers’ own-label products “mimicked” the market-leading brand-owner’s packaging.

When “logos” turn into “no-goes” (Brands & IP Newsnotes - issue 1)

27 September 2015

As we move even deeper into an age of digital advertising and social media, it is becoming increasingly important for businesses to have a short hand for their brand; something which denotes the business, stands out as a guarantee of origin and makes the brand instantly recognisable. We’re talking about logos.

A copyright work in 140 characters? (Brands & IP Newsnotes - issue 1)

27 September 2015

It isn’t easy to keep your social media followers entertained with rafts of enthralling and hilarious new material.

Not so-far, Sofa Workshop (Brands & IP newsnotes - issue 3)

27 September 2015

If a trade mark proprietor does not make ‘genuine use’ of its marks, they may be vulnerable to attack from third parties.

You’re cabbing a laugh (Brands & IP Newsnotes - issue 1)

27 September 2015

The High Court has refused an application by the manufacturer of the iconic London black cab (“LTC”) for permission to adduce survey evidence in a claim for passing off.

A glitch in time – European Court rules on travelling as ‘working time’

11 September 2015

The European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) has ruled that, for workers with no fixed or habitual place of work, travelling time to and from the first and last customer appointments of the day should count as “working time” for the purposes of the EU Working Time Directive (“WTD”).

Remuneration in financial services - new rules on deferral and clawback

29 June 2015

New rules on deferral and clawback of variable remuneration are set out in a joint policy statement issued by the Prudential Regulation Authority (“PRA”) and the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”). They will apply to variable remuneration awarded for performance periods beginning on or after 1 January 2016.

Zero-hours contracts – exclusivity ban now in force

26 May 2015

The new government has finally implemented the long-heralded ban on exclusivity clauses in zero-hours contracts. This has been a hot topic for many months, with all of the major political parties including plans to tackle the widespread use of such contracts in their election manifestos.

Résolutions spéciales requises par le Companies Act 2006

19 April 2015

Les décisions ci-dessous ne peuvent être passées que par les actionnaires détenant au moins 75% des droits de vote.

Les statuts d une societe anglais

26 March 2015

Que vous soyez dirigeant français d’une société anglaise à responsabilité limitée (« limited ») récemment achetée, investisseur intéressé par une prise de participation majoritaire dans une limited ou tout simplement une société française actionnaire majoritaire d’une limited, cet article est fait pour vous ! Il vous permettra de comprendre comment fonctionnent les statuts ou « articles of association » d’une limited, comment les lire et les écueils à éviter…

Zero-hours contracts – tackling avoidance

19 March 2015

Over the past year, zero-hours contracts have never been far from the headlines and, in the run up to the general election, it seems this issue will continue to be a hot political topic.