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Trade Marks and Designs
Your brand and intellectual property is at the core of your business, and at the heart of our practice.
Our clients choose us as their trusted advisors due to our in-depth knowledge, expertise and understanding of trade marks and designs.
As one of a handful of UK law firms with an international trade mark and design practice, we can provide cost effective IP protection as part of our ‘one stop shop’ for UK and overseas clients.
Our team understands the importance of getting it right at the beginning and can work with you from creation, filing and clearance, through to protection and enforcement. We have considerable expertise in handling contentious and non-contentious work relating to intellectual property, as well as related information technology, commercial, media, data protection and competition law matters. In addition to the core trade mark and design function of the practice, we are specialists in copyright protection, company name disputes and domain name issues. This allows us to offer a genuinely commercial and holistic approach to intellectual property protection.
We also understand that quick, clear and quality advice is vital. This is something we are proud to offer as standard, giving clients exactly what they need in the timescales they need it.
As IP strategy experts, we offer a fresh perspective of existing trade mark and design portfolios to find new way to maximise your IP, be that through consolidation and/or growth. IP is an asset, but only if managed correctly. Our extensive knowledge can help you do so and ensure your protection remains relevant.
We work with all types of client, big or small, start-ups or global corporations, in a wide reaching variety of industries.
Do get in touch for more details about how Wedlake Bell can assist you with your IP protection from start to finish – we are the support you and your brand needs.
Experience
- Trade marks and design portfolio management.
- Bringing and defending trade mark opposition proceedings before both the UK and European Union Intellectual Property Offices.
- Advising leading accommodation and housing company in relation to the settlement of various EU oppositions, including settlement agreement and acquisition of conflicting trade marks.
- Successfully represented a cosmetic company in various customs and counterfeiting matters throughout the UK and EU.
- Successfully represented a leading financial investment company at ICANN in respect of several domain name disputes.
- Bringing claims for trade mark infringement and passing off against online-based financial services company.
- Defending retailer against registered and unregistered design infringement claims.
- Successfully obtaining the transfer of various domain names via UDRP and Nominet complaints.
Nawel Chemali - 15/09/2022
The Registrar and non-compliance: The UK "Address for Service" requirement
Background The recent decision of 16 August 2022 by the Appointed Person, Trade Mark Appeals Decision O/681/22 (ipo.gov.uk), serves as a reminder to both the UK Registrar and involved parties that a suitable address for … Read more →
Charlotte Wilding - 23/08/2022
Strike a pose - can an image be protected as a trade mark?
Usain Bolt has filed a US trade mark application for his signature pose, seeking protection for a large range of goods and services from the typical clothing, bags, jewellery and sunglasses through to restaurants. If … Read more →
Charlotte Wilding - 10/02/2022
Brands seek to expand "metaverse" IP protection
A number of big brand companies are taking the opportunity to review their existing trade mark protection and expand into the "metaverse". In addition to Nike's new filings covering "downloadable virtual goods", "retail store services for … Read more →
Charlotte Wilding - 16/11/2021
DEADLINE - 26 November 2021 - change to the transitional arrangements for some UK proceedings
The UK IPO issued a Tribunal Practice Notice on 5 November, setting out changes to the end of the Transition Period transitional arrangements (ie the Brexit transitional agreements). The new law will take effect on 26 … Read more →
Charlotte Wilding - 09/11/2021
McDonald's succeed, but 'Mc' does not...
In 2019, Childrens Cancer Aid Limited (CCAL) filed a UK trade mark application for 'McVegan' in respect of vegan sausages, vegan burgers and alcoholic and non-alcoholic vegan drinks. As you would expect, this was opposed … Read more →
Charlotte Wilding - 28/10/2021
General Court moves away from the EUIPO's position on UK rights (in limited circumstances)
The General Court recently issued an interesting and potentially helpful decision for UK rights holders undergoing proceedings at the EUIPO. Whilst I suspect that this case will have limited application, it is certainly worth consideration if … Read more →
Charlotte Wilding - 01/10/2021
UK's IP Growth through Innovation
The UK IPO issued its Innovation and Growth Report 2020-21 in September, which highlights the UK's growing position in IP. In particular, the report highlights the UK's international rankings - 4th in the World Intellectual Property … Read more →
Charlotte Wilding - 15/09/2021
Act soon - 30 September 2021 deadline to file UK priority trade mark and design applications
The final deadline to file UK trade mark and design applications and claim back the original filing date from corresponding EUTM and RCD applications expires on 30 September 2021.By way of reminder, the UK IPO automatically … Read more →
News
The Trademark Lawyer Annual 2023
Charlotte Wilding, Emilia Petrossian and Nawel Chemali of Wedlake Bell LLP review the current state of sustainable fashion, questioning whether virtual fashion could overturn the damage caused by fast fashion… Read more →
News
Statement – Emilia Petrossian
Wedlake Bell is delighted to announce that Emilia Petrossian has been appointed as a Trade Mark Attorney within the firm’s IP & Commercial group. Emilia joined Wedlake Bell as a… Read more →