About IP Law
With the laws around Intellectual Property and Information Technology changing all the time, keeping pace is hard enough. But knowing the law isn’t enough. You need to know what those changes are going to mean for your clients. The big picture, the fine detail, the impact and the next steps.
Copyright
Practical information about copyright, moral rights, performers’ rights and rights in performances. Get precedent copyright assignments and licences here.
Trade marks
Practical information about trade marks, passing off, geographical indications and anti-counterfeiting. Get precedent trade mark assignments and licences here.
Patents
Practical information about patents and supplementary protection certificates. Get precedent patent assignments and licences here.
IP disputes
Get guidance on strategic and practical steps for dealing with IP disputes, including ways of trying to avoid them in the first place. Our case analysis highlights points from judgments so you can be confident at work.
Topics We Cover
Latest IP News
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the European Investment Fund (EIF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to...
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has issued directions permitting and governing the online delivery of certain statutory and non-statutory forms...
This week's edition of IP weekly highlights includes: a hand-picked summary of news analysis, updates and new content from the world of IP. These...
IP analysis: The High Court struck out contempt proceedings arising from representations made to the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) following a...
MLex: The system of trade mark filing and searches in the UK is set for an overhaul starting in September, as the country’s IP authority grapples with...
Latest IP Practice Notes
Licensing IP rights—introductionDrafting IP licences can raise a number of commercial and legal issues, which are often complex and lead to much...
This Practice Note sets out the IP and competition law issues which may arise in connection with character merchandising (ie the practice of licensing...
The purpose of an anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy strategyMany brand owners and other IP right holders face an uphill struggle when it comes to...
Incorporated v unincorporated charitiesThere are a number of incorporated or unincorporated structures that are adopted by charities.The corporate...
Having an online presence is essential for most brands. Many advertise and sell their products online—on their own websites or via online marketplaces...
Latest IP Precedents
This Agreement is made on [insert date] (Commencement Date) between the following parties (each a ‘party’ and together the ‘parties’):Parties1[insert...
This Agreement is made on [insert date] (Commencement Date) between the following parties (each a ‘party’ and together the ‘parties’):Parties1[insert...
This Agreement is made on [insert date] (Commencement Date) between the following parties (each a ‘party’ and together the ‘parties’):Parties1[insert...
[Alleged infringer’s name and address][Date]Dear [insert organisation name],[REGISTERED DESIGN NUMBER AND DESCRIPTION]We are instructed by [name of...
This Agreement is made on [insert date]Parties1[insert licensor name] a company incorporated in [England and Wales] whose registered number is [insert...
Latest IP Q&As
Featured IP content
Introduction to passing off
Introduction to passing offUnlike many other countries, the UK has no unfair competition law. Brand owners seeking to prevent competitors from...
Trade mark infringement—UK
Trade mark infringementRights conferred by a trade mark registrationThe registration of a trade mark gives the owner the exclusive right to prevent...
Copyright—authorship and ownership
Copyright—authorship and ownershipThe Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (CDPA 1988) defines the author of a work as the person who created it....
Passing off—goodwill, misrepresentation and damage
Passing off—goodwill, misrepresentation and damageWhat is passing off?Passing off is a common law tort which protects rights that are not capable of...
Absolute and relative grounds for refusal to register a UK trade mark
Absolute and relative grounds for refusal to register a UK trade markAbsolute and relative groundsA trade mark’s essential function is to be a badge...
Copyright infringement—remedies
Copyright infringement—remediesThis Practice Note covers the remedies available for copyright infringement.The remedies available in cases of...
Introduction to revocation of patents
Introduction to revocation of patentsPatents may be revoked, that is, taken off the register of patents, if it is decided that they are invalid in...
Joint ownership of intellectual property rights
Joint ownership of intellectual property rightsWhen parties collaborate on creative projects or research and development, complex questions arise...
Sub-licensing intellectual property rights
Sub-licensing intellectual property rightsAn intellectual property (IP) owner may choose to license its IP to a third party. This can be an effective...
Brand protection online—strategy
Brand protection online—strategyHaving an online presence is essential for most brands. Many advertise and sell their products online—on their own...
Types of dispute resolution
Types of dispute resolutionThis Practice Note provides an overview of the main types of dispute resolution that are an alternative to litigation in IP...
Parallel imports—UK
Parallel imports—UKThe legal frameworkThis Practice Note explains trade mark law on parallel trade. Parallel imports, or ‘grey market’ goods, are...
Know-how—protection and licensing
Know-how—protection and licensingThis Practice Note explains what know-how is and sets out the different ways know-how can be protected before...
Copyright—secondary infringement
Copyright—secondary infringementWhereas primary infringement requires in most instances the act of reproduction, secondary infringement is about...
Licensing intellectual property rights
Licensing intellectual property rightsLicensing IP rights—introductionDrafting IP licences can raise a number of commercial and legal issues, which...
Application to register a UK trade mark
Application to register a UK trade markThis Practice Note provides guidance on applying to register a trade mark at the UK Intellectual Property...
IP rights and semiconductors
IP rights and semiconductorsBackground to semiconductorsA semiconductor is essentially any material which has electrical conductivity and can thus...
Can the assignment of a patent be retroactively effective?
Associated legal terms
Issuing copies to the public
The issuing to the public of copies of a copyright work is an act restricted by the copyright.
Performance rights
Performance rights protect a performer's live or recorded dramatic and musical performances from having unauthorised recordings or broadcasts made of them. Performance rights are particularly useful to protect the rights of performers in relation to ‘bootlegs’ (unlawful recordings of a live performance made without consent).
Prior art
The prior art are those things made available to the public before the priority date.
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