Enforcing your trade mark rights is about managing risk. But what happens when the pursuit of maintaining your registered rights against third parties becomes a risk in itself? The recent dispute between Airbnb and bnb-side, a six-room bed and breakfast on the Isle of Portland, provides a useful reminder that bigger is not always better when it comes to trade mark enforcement.
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While the biggest names in professional cycling stay largely the same year to year, patent data tells a different story. Our analysis of 20 years of cycling patents reveals a clear shift toward digital innovation, from AI-assisted gear shifting to RADAR-based safety systems, and what it means for the future of IP in the sport.
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In Podium Icons Limited (formerly Maradona Global Limited) v Diego Armando Maradona Sinagra & Others (BL O/0743/25), the Appointed Person, Dr. Brian Whitehead, refused an application to transfer an appeal to the High Court under section 76(3) of the Trade Marks Act 1994.
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On Wednesday 18 June 2026, after years of discussion, the EU Parliament approved the New Genomic Techniques (NGT) Regulation, following the text provisionally agreed in December 2025.
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Few patent revocation actions go this far - fewer still end this decisively. This landmark win highlights the growing strategic role of national revocation proceedings.
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In G1/24 the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the EPO clarified that claims must be interpreted in light of the description when assessing patentability. However, it left open how this principle applies to added matter.
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The UK Supreme Court’s decision in Dairy UK v Oatly marks a significant moment for plant‑based brands navigating regulated markets, underlining the growing tension between innovative branding and strict sector‑specific regulation.
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European Patent Office (EPO) communications - such as search reports and examination reports - often include a set of recurring “formality” objections. Here, we explain the three most common objections and why European patent attorneys typically recommend certain amendments.
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Plant breeder’s rights (PBRs) have entered the litigation spotlight in the UK with the recent decision in the case between Nador Cott Protection SAS (NCP) and Asda Stores Limited & International Procurement and Logistics Limited (IPL).
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Plant breeder’s rights (PBRs) for new plant varieties are granted by The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) in the UK. A separate application is required to add a plant variety to the UK national list so that it can be marketed in the UK.
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Plant Variety Rights (PVRs), or Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBRs) as they are known in some countries, are intellectual property rights which protect new, distinct, uniform and stable plant varieties including genetically modified plant varieties.
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