As governments around the world take the first tentative steps to ease lockdown measures, people and businesses are beginning to focus on a return to work or at least a resumption of more normal business processes. However, it is clear that a large number of businesses, sadly, will not survive in their current form, as … Read more
A review of the key points to consider in dealing with digital copyright, including the communication to the public right and issues around the use of material on the internet, together with a look at how copyright may change, both in the EU with the implementation of the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market, and in the UK, post Brexit without the Directive.Read more
Responding to a question referred to it by the EPO’s President, the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office has issued its opinion in relation to what was perhaps the most controversial referral of 2019. In a complete reversal of its opinion of just five years ago, the EPO has held that plants … Read more
In this article we review the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the procedure of, and approach taken by the judiciary in, the patent courts of England & Wales, Germany, France, Italy, and at the EPO. Read more
Like a final played behind closed doors, the last phase of the lengthy match between the cosmetics manufacturer Kiko and its competitor Wycon relating to the design of their stores has just come to an end during the lockdown. The Italian Supreme Court has confirmed that the Milan Court of Appeal had correctly upheld the … Read more
In this webinar we will focus on some of the practical guidance issued by the courts as to how to approach FRAND negotiations, focussing on Germany, France and the UK. What should prospective licensors and licensees do differently this time for forthcoming licensing negotiations on new standards? Are we in a better position now to avoid some of the previous challenges, such as patent hold-up and hold-out?Read more
Key recent developments in the United Kingdom and Europe relating to patents and the pharmaceutical sector In this update we welcome our new IP partner in Germany. We have a number of interesting updates from the UK Court of Appeal, including a decision on Arrow declarations, a competition decision, an appeal relating to the lapse of an … Read more
Two important pieces of medicines and medical devices regulation are currently pending in the UK and the European Union: in the UK, the Medicines and Medical Devices Bill (the UK Bill), and in the EU, the Medical Devices Regulation (the EU Regulation on Medical Devices). COVID-19 has also had an impact, with the EU Regulation … Read more
Collaborating with a third party can bring with it numerous benefits. Parties can work to their own strengths, share experience, and venture into new markets or territories, while sharing costs and risks.However, there are a multitude of legal considerations which need to be considered, both at the outset and as the collaboration progresses. In episode 5 of our podcast series, Joel Smith and Jessica Welborn discuss some of the key IP considerations surrounding collaboration agreements. Read more
