Insights

In this second episode of “The IP Podcast”, our hosts discuss the importance of confidentiality and why it’s so important to keep your idea secret. We look at how you should keep your ideas secret, who you can discuss your ideas with, what happens if someone ‘steals’ your idea, and when you can safely start selling your product.

A recent ruling by the EUIPO First Board of Appeal in Walter Kidde Portable Equipment, Inc. v UAB Fire Experts (R0780/2019-1, [2020]), in which Dehns acted for the Appellant, saw a total overturning of the earlier Opposition Division decision.  Whilst the Opposition Division determined abruptly and definitively that there was no similarity between the goods at issue, rejecting the opposition in just two pages, the Board annulled this first instance decision and instead refused the contested application in full.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been identified as having many uses. One discussed recently, in a report commissioned by GCHQ, is how AI may be used to help with national security.

We recently published an article looking at how multinationals are diversifying into new markets and sectors through the process (and power) of technological transformation. In that article we focused on FUJIFILM and we mentioned how other companies were undergoing the same transformational process; one such company is BAT (until very recently known as British American Tobacco)./01

At a time when everyone is understandably rather nervous about the future, especially for society’s most vulnerable groups, it’s always good to highlight positive news stories, especially those related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Apple have made no secret of their ambitions to broaden their empire beyond their historic hardware and software offering, and are increasingly looking to expand their presence in service verticals. Gone are the days of the iTunes store being Apple’s sole service – between Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, Apple Pay, and Apple Card, it seems only a matter of time before yet further services are added to their portfolio.

Last weekend, ‘Hugo Boss’ was trending on Twitter. Not, however, because of a product launch or advertising campaign relating to the luxury fashion brand, but as a result of comedian turned consumer rights advocate Joe Lycett’s announcement that he has legally changed his name by deed poll to Hugo Boss.

Like many celebrities these days, David and Victoria Beckham are no strangers to brand protection and the benefits it can bring. Over the years, they have secured registered protection for a host of trade marks, including their own names and those of their children. However, the Beckhams haven’t always enjoyed success in their trade mark pursuits. For instance, some of you may recall Victoria’s ultimately unsuccessful dispute with Peterborough United Football Club over the word POSH.

Bringing a new drug to the clinic is a tortuous and extremely expensive process fraught with commercial risk. It seems that Artificial Intelligence is beginning to challenge this reality.

This case concerns six trade mark applications filed by Jaguar Land Rover Limited (JLR), to register the shapes of its Series 1, Series 2 and Defender cars in the UK.