EUROPEAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Our offices in London and Brussels together offer the full range of IP services. In addition to traditional IP rights including patents, copyrights, trademarks, rights of publicity, trade secrets, and related issues, we have extensive experience regarding such distinctively European issues as:

Advertising. In the UK, IP issues are tied up in many ways with all forms of advertising. The law of comparative advertising draws from trademark legislation, the law of passing off (or unfair competition), and a recently introduced European directive that permits comparative advertising in some circumstances. Comparative advertising can involve matters of pure trademark law and enforcement, as well as issues arising under advertising codes of practice, such as the code enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority.

Industrial Designs. Many European countries have a registration system for industrial designs; these systems differ in the extent to which the right granted is similar to a patent (i.e., full monopoly) or to copyright (requiring copying). In Europe, there are two types of industrial design rights: registered design rights and unregistered design rights. Both of these are regulated by legislation, but are not necessarily exclusive. Our team counsels clients on a wide range of issues associated with these various registration systems to ensure that industrial design rights are protected.

Other Rights. IP encompasses a multitude of doctrines, including rights of publicity and privacy, unfair competition, and design rights. We work creatively to apply these in new contexts to vindicate our clients' rights and to help our clients avoid pitfalls in these areas.