ROSIE BURBIDGE

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Walk like a PANTHÉ - Visual perception is key for fashion trade marks says EU

Mar 9
2 min

Walk like a PANTHÉ - Visual perception is key for fashion trade marks says EU

Is there a likelihood of confusion between the figurative signs pictured below (PANTHÉ and PANTHER) for “Clothing; Headgear” in Class 25? The EU General Court said "No". In doing so, they upheld a decision of the EUIPO Board of Appeal. The case is El Corte Inglés v EUIPO/MKR Design Srl (Case T-117/20). The judgment was published on 10 February 2021. So what happened? Spanish retailer El Corte Inglés opposed an EUTM application for the sign listed above (PANTHÉ) which was file

EUIPO sees rise in trade mark filings in 2020 despite pandemic

Mar 9
1 min

EUIPO sees rise in trade mark filings in 2020 despite pandemic

We are all aware that the pandemic hasn't necessarily led to a decrease of work across the board. One group of people who have been particularly busy are the staff at EUIPO. EUIPO received a record number of EUTM filings in 2020 - over 175,000* in a single year. This is an annual increase of more than 10%! which is remarkable given the impact of the pandemic on business during the year. Most of the growth came in the second half of the year, and EUIPO says it was led “by a si

Protecting digital designs - the clock is ticking

Nov 26, 2020
2 min

Protecting digital designs - the clock is ticking

Designs are one of the key IP rights for the gaming and fashion industries but they are complex and consequently poorly understood. There are two key categories of design: registered and unregistered designs. They are best known for protecting three dimensional products but a little known fact is that they can also protect logos and graphical user interfaces. Given the shift to remote and virtual living, protecting digital assets is more important than ever. The European Comm

Trade mark classes are not Nice and easy

Jan 5, 2019
3 min

Trade mark classes are not Nice and easy

"Unless familiar with the law of registered trade marks, you might think that it is relatively straightforward. Regrettably, you would be wrong." So begins, Carr J's latest trade mark judgment in the English High Court - Pathway IP SARL v Easygroup Ltd [2018] EWHC 3608. This case was a High Court appeal from a successful application by EasyGroup to revoke two trade marks for non-use. The mark in question was"easyoffice" in various fonts and coloured backgrounds. The main poi

Questioning the trade mark judges

Nov 24, 2018
6 min

Questioning the trade mark judges

On 18 October 2018, it was the annual IBIL and MARQUES event - Question the Trade Mark Judges this time in UCL's snazzy new lecture theatre. This year the judges were: HHJ Melissa Clarke (Senior Circuit Judge, Designated Civil Judge for Thames Valley, Beds & Herts) Judge Octavia Spineanu-Matei (General Court, Court of Justice of the European Union) The Hon Mrs Justice Vivien Rose Harri Salmi (EUIPO Boards of Appeal member) The debate was meant to be chaired by The Rt Hon Prof