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Patents reward originality, and inventions that are obvious developments on pre-existing designs do not qualify for protection, however successful they may be. In a ground-breaking case on point , patent protection was denied in respect of a one-man...
The names and trade marks of certain well-known regional food and drink products are tightly protected under European law. The extent of that protection was analysed in a High Court case concerning a non-alcoholic sparkling wine bearing the name 'Nosecco'....
If you have spent time and money building up public recognition of your trade mark, you do not have to just stand by and watch others taking unfair advantage of your investment. In a case on point, a tea supplier saw off an attempt to use its brand name in...
Businesses that handle personal data but fail to take appropriate steps to guard against cyber attacks expose themselves to grave financial and reputational damage. That was certainly so in the case of an international airline whose flawed systems...
Trade marks that achieve widespread public recognition are the lifeblood of a great many businesses, forming the foundation of their brands. A High Court ruling in the context of the UK's £2.54-billion-a-year pet food market showed exactly why such...
Direct marketing messages that appear uninvited on mobile phones are viewed as a plague by many and those responsible for sending them can expect to be hit hard in the pocket. In one case, a digital communications company received a six-figure fine after...
Works of artistic craftsmanship are, if original, entitled to copyright protection – but what exactly does the phrase mean? In a ruling that clarified the law , the High Court found that a clothing fabric featuring a woven 'wave' design fitted the...
Companies that spend millions on establishing their brands in the public mind have the comfort of knowing that the law will protect their investments. In a case on point, vehicle manufacturer BMW came down hard on a small businessman who set up a company...
Deliberate infringement of others' trade marks is a crime and perpetrators can expect severe punishment. In one case, a businessman who rode roughshod over a former trading partner's goodwill received a suspended prison sentence and a five-year...
Miscreant employees often form the first link in a chain which feeds the black market in personal data. However, as a ground-breaking High Court ruling showed , anyone who profits from the use of such illicitly leaked material risks being hit hard in the...
