Intellectual Property
Intangible assets are a key building block in today's economy. Intellectual property (IP)-intensive industries now generate a significant percentage of UK employment and GDP. Businesses need to be well-informed and highly organised when it comes to protecting and exploiting IP assets. The identity, reputation and growth of a business are all determined by how the brand and other intangible business assets are managed.
Michelmores has developed an expert Intellectual Property team to provide effective advice on all aspects of intellectual property law. We support our clients in identifying and protecting rights, through to the development of successful strategies to exploit and enforce those rights. We recognise that there is no "one size fits all" approach to intellectual property advice. Work undertaken covers the full range of rights from copyright and designs, through to trade marks and patents. The team also advises on confidentiality and trade secrets, including the protection of "know-how" and "show how".
Our Intellectual Property Solicitors are ranked in the highest tier by independent legal guide Legal500 and we have particular expertise in supporting data-driven businesses, working with a number of clients who specialise in the creation of value-added data products and services. We work with clients and their in-house legal teams, operating at a local, national and international level assisting them with their day-to-day legal needs, as well as complex, large-scale projects. Clients span the private, public and voluntary sectors, including manufacturing, retail, IT, telecommunications, media, clean technology, aero/aviation, food & drink, pharmaceuticals, and health.
A significant proportion of the team's work has an international aspect to it. We have forged strong links with a network of overseas experts, enabling us to access "local" legal expertise, where needed, to support our clients.
Where appropriate, we work also alongside colleagues in our specialist Technology & Innovation, Tax and Competition teams. We also have specialists who focus on the Manufacturing, Food & Drink, Agriculture and Energy sectors.
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- The ‘Kat that didn’t get the cream – Cadbury prevents Nestle’s attempts to trade mark its four-fingered KitKat shape.
- Court of Appeal refuses to stretch the meaning of a settlement agreement for H&M in patent dispute
- Second success for Sky as the Supreme Court rules Sky's use of "NOW TV" is not 'passing off'
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- Michelmores shortlisted in The Lawyer Awards for 'IP Team of the Year' 2015
- ECJ rules that EU copyright infringement claims can be brought in any member state where the infringing website is accessible
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- Standardised cigarette packaging to be implemented in May 2016
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- Trade mark dispute is hazy for cider manufacturers
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- Trunki rides on to Supreme Court
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- Lidl loses out on trade mark luxury
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- Clash of Feathers for Jack Wills and House of Fraser
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- A Law Unto Themselfies
- ECJ judgment
- Expanding the family – Numatic International successfully registers JOHN and LEWIS as trade marks.
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- A Step Forward in the Battle against Counterfeiters
- Lookalikes
Get in touch
Meet the team
Recent experience
- Supporting and advising numerous clients on a day-to-day basis in relation to their general commercial and intellectual property needs. We advise both public and private sector clients on this basis, including the Met Police, Thomson Reuters, Haynes Publishing, Landmark Information Group (part of Daily Mail and General Trust plc), Gro Group and The Met Office.
- Advising a well-known retail business, offering "end-to-end" retail solutions, on its relationship with Samsung UK.
- Advising a public sector client on a suite of pharmaceutical contracts permitting the commercialisation of drugs in North America.
- Advising an award winning UK based marine business on its Slovenian manufacturing arrangements.
- Advising UK based electronics business, a leading name in videoconferencing technology, on a licensing deal with Polycom.
- Advising international infant and baby product business on the acquisition of a portfolio of patents and registered designs.
- Advising a US/UK based oil and gas sector business on the creation and commercialisation of a jointly developed product range with a Scandinavian counterparty.
- Advising a publically listed publishing house on the acquisition of on online technical data business, working with the firm's corporate and competition teams.
- Advising UK/US based manufacturer in relation to the enforcement of its IP portfolio and defensive challenges against a Chinese competitor seeking to develop its own portfolio of registered IP rights.
- Advising on publishing agreement with Penguin Random House – the resulting book being a bestselling non-fiction title in 2017.
- Advising soft drinks company on a new Chinese partnering arrangement, to launch its brand into the Chinese marketplace.
- Advising international spirits company on labelling and compliance issues for a new tequila product.
- Advising a designer on an exclusive deal with Dunelm, cover the supply of new designs over a number of years, with significant minimum royalties.