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A single letter can be registered as a trademark, provided that it is distinctive in relation to the goods and services to which it applies. But enforcing short signs, such as single letter trademarks, is another challenge.
The 2022 Review of Notorious Counterfeiting and Piracy Markets by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has assessed the volume of online marketplace counterfeiting and ranked sites by worst offender.
You may already have started to consider how best to protect your IP rights in new digital worlds and on blockchain technologies. But did you know that the emergence of NFTs, the blockchain, metaverses and Web 3.0 also has implications for your domain name strategy? In our latest factsheet, we discuss NFT domains and offer strategies for success.
With two tracks exploring the IP implications of innovation and the business of brands, this year's Annual Meeting of the International Trademark Association promises to be packed with fascinating discussions.
The international systems for trademark and design protection continue to expand with Brazil the latest country to file an instrument of accession to the design protection system and Mauritius acceding the trademark system. The more countries that join the systems the better for companies that operate internationally.
In December 2022, the EU General Court discussed the assessment of the likelihood of confusion in the context of the dispute between the holders of the ‘Well and Well’ and ‘WellBe Pharmaceuticals’ trademarks. Florence Chapin sets out its conclusions
Most IP legislation was designed to support trademark protection in physical markets, making its application a challenge for brand owners facing trademark infringement on ecommerce channels, such as online marketplaces. Megan Taylor discusses strategies for brand protection online in light of recent rulings by the EU and UK courts.
In its December 2022 preliminary ruling, the Court of Justice of the EU found that Amazon’s practice of displaying ads for counterfeit Christian Louboutin shoes makes the e-tailer liable for online trademark infringement.
Trademark disputes can have starkly different outcomes in different jurisdictions, as demonstrated by a number of parallel EU and UK oppositions. UK Trademark Attorney Mona Asgari examines the different positions taken by the EUIPO and UKIPO in a recent opposition based on indirect confusion and emphasises the importance of local representation.
In response to recent uncertainty around the need for a UK address for service (AFS) for UK trademarks and designs, the UKIPO issued a Tribunal Practice Notice on 25 January 2023. Vanessa Harrow sets out the changes and offers practical advice for affected rights holders.
Read answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about when a UK address for service is required for UK trademarks and designs.
When seeking to describe a particular characteristic, intended purpose or function of a product, you can reference another brand’s trademark. However, there can be a fine line between such informative use and trademark infringement.