Joseph Letang

Background

Joseph is a Partner in our Trade Mark Group and is a UK Chartered Trade Mark Attorney.

Having obtained an Honours degree in Law, Joseph joined the firm in 1998 and became a partner in 2009. Immediately prior to joining the firm Joseph spent two years working for a specialist firm of Trade Mark Attorneys where he trained under the then president of the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys.

Joseph is Lead Partner of the Dehns “Equality, Diversity and Inclusion” (EDI) Group.

Type of clients and client work

Joseph has experience prosecuting trade mark applications in the EU (EUTM), UK and worldwide in all areas of industry for small businesses, multi-national corporations and solicitors with clients who need specialist assistance with trade marks. In addition to obtaining trade mark registrations, including filing applications and dealing with any related official objections/oppositions, Joseph advises on searching and clearing trade marks for use, registrability, infringement, passing off and domain name disputes.

Expertise

Based in our Brighton office, Joseph regularly assists regional SME clients with various trade mark matters. He also manages global client portfolios in the fields of cosmetics, entertainment, restaurants and engineering.

Qualifications and Memberships

• UK Chartered Trade Mark Attorney, 2001
• Member of the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys
• Member of the International Trademark Association
• IP Litigator – Trade Marks, 2018
• IP Inclusive Committee Member (IP & ME)

Higher Education

LLB Hons, University of Wolverhampton, Law, 1988

Other

Joseph is highlighted as a recommended trade mark attorney in the leading legal and IP directories. This has included:

• World Trade Mark Review 1000 Report –  Ranked Silver for “Individuals: prosecution and strategy” in the 2024 edition. “Recommended Individual” in the 2022 edition and noted for “receiving high acclaim from peers on the prosecution side”. Joseph is “a trademark prosecution maven who capably tends to the needs of regional SMEs as well as managing the global IP portfolios of heavyweights in the cosmetics, entertainment, restaurants and engineering fields”
• World Trademark Review’s World’s Leading Trademark Professionals (2021 edition) – Joseph “impresses with his “incredibly practical approach and ability to work within budget while getting get the highest level of protection”. “He makes complicated matters straightforward and gives sterling advice for a reasonable fee.”
• The Legal 500 Directory (2023 & 2024 edition) – named as a “key lawyer” of the firm. A client in the 2023 edition commented: “Joseph Letang is my main contact and I am always impressed.”
• The Legal 500 Directory (2020 edition) – named as a “key lawyer” of the firm. Joseph also received a testimonial stating: “Joseph Letang is brilliant at turning things around quickly for registrations, and giving pre-registration advice that is clear, concise and easily understandable.”
• MIP IP Stars (2023 edition) – “Trade mark star”
• MIP IP Stars (2022 edition) – “Trade mark star”
• MIP IP Stars (2021 edition) – “Trade mark star”
• MIP IP Stars (2020 edition) – “Trade mark star”
• MIP’s IP Stars (2019 edition) – “Trade mark star”
• MIP’s IP Stars (2018 edition) – “Global IP Star”
• Legal 500 Directory (2017 edition) – “Recommended Attorney” and as a “Key Lawyer” every year since then, including the most recent 2022 edition.
• MIP’s IP Stars (2016 edition) – “Notable Partner” and highlighted for his work in “Filing and Prosecution”, “Oppositions and Appeals”, and “Strategy & Counselling”. In the previous edition it was stated that: “Joseph Letang is a name that stands out at the firm. “He is able to offer practical and concise advice,” says a client. “He is very personable and we were really pleased with the service he provided.””
• World Trade Mark Review (2016 edition) – singled out for providing: “…commercially astute guidance to his clients, including many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Southern England.” In the 2015 edition it stated: “Joseph Letang maintains a worldwide prosecution practice across myriad industries, although cosmetics and communications are particular strongholds.”

Joseph is a former elected member of the General Council of Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA), where he represented CITMA at UK business conferences, small business advice days and at the annual International Trade Mark Association (INTA) conference in the US. Joseph currently assists CITMA in providing pro-bono advice to SME businesses at CITMA’s regular clinics.

He has been published more than once in a Q&A section in the Financial Times on trade marks, and was also published in relation to Madrid Protocol filings in the trade journal ‘Trademark World’.

As Lead Partner in the firm’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) group, Joseph plays a significant role in developing and implementing firm-wide EDI policy and initiatives.

Watch the video below to see how Joseph worked with the Ace Cafe brand.  Over the last ten years, the Ace Cafe brand has gone global, and Joseph has worked with them to help build, grow and protect their UK and overseas IP portfolio.