The Trademark Lawyer

A West London man has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison after operating an industrial-scale counterfeit vinyl business that generated approximately £2.743 million from sales between 2017 and 2024. Rehan Ahmed, 40, of Southall, was sentenced at Inner...

Adidas Australia has commenced trademark litigation against Australian fashion retailer White Fox Boutique in the Federal Court of Australia, according to a report published by Law360. Adidas Australia has filed an intellectual property lawsuit against White Fox...

Companies seek declaratory judgment after TERA-print objects to planned use of name for semiconductor operation. Tesla, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), and SpaceXAI LLC have taken a trademark dispute over the name "Terafab" to federal court, asking a...

Court finds Omologato's use of LE MANS, LM, and LMR infringed Automobile Club de l'Ouest's trademarks, with the judge describing the LE MANS use as a "classic case of unfair free riding" The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) has found that watchmaker...

Supreme People's Court finds that formal registration and use of an enterprise name does not prevent an unfair competition finding where a similar identifier is likely to cause consumer confusion. China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) has ruled that registering and...

Samsung is challenging Dua Lipa’s $15 million lawsuit over her image on television packaging, arguing that the use did not plausibly suggest celebrity endorsement and that her trademark and publicity claims are legally defective. Samsung has asked a US federal court...

The decision provides significant protection against the unauthorized use of a public figure's identity while addressing personality and publicity rights, trademarks, and copyright in the context of AI-generated content. The Delhi High Court has granted a permanent...

The article discusses the rectification petition filed by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited (Dr Reddy's) under Section 57 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999, seeking cancellation of Razenta Pharmaceuticals Private Limited's (Razenta) registered trademark DAPLOGIN in Class 5....

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) filed a commercial suit seeking an interim injunction against Kwick Living (I) Private Limited, which operates under the BECO brand, over its multi-platform advertising campaign, #WarOnWhatsHidden. The campaign featured HUL's Vim...

The Court of Justice of the European Union has clarified the circumstances in which freedom of political expression may constitute "due cause" for the unauthorized use of a reputed trademark, following a dispute over IKEA branding used in a Belgian political campaign....

A US federal court has entered a consent judgment and permanent injunction protecting Rothy’s footwear designs, adopting stipulated findings that 10 design patents and trade dress rights associated with The Point and The Flat shoes are valid and infringed. The US...

A Malaysian Court of Appeal decision has clarified when reposting content containing another party's trademark on a company's social-media account can amount to trademark use "in the course of trade." In Maxcare Success Sdn Bhd v. Motionquest Sdn Bhd, the Court of...

The Bombay High Court has refused to allow Metro Brands to combine a passing-off claim arising in Kerala with its trademark infringement action in Mumbai, emphasizing that a plaintiff's choice of forum under Section 134(2) of India's Trade Marks Act is not an...

UKIPO report sets out findings from local authorities on counterfeit goods — 2 in 3 local authorities report investigations into toys The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has published its latest Trading Standards Survey report, setting out a picture of the IP...

The Delhi High Court has vacated an ex parte injunction against Nugenesys Pharmaceuticals after finding that Celagenex Research had failed to disclose material facts concerning its dispute over the trademarks NUREWIRE and RewireX. In a strongly worded judgment, a...

An ad-interim injunction prevents Healing Pharma from dealing in products bearing trade dress that the Delhi High Court found prima facie likely to confuse consumers with Himalaya's products. The Delhi High Court has granted ad-interim protection to Himalaya Global...

Operation Bluebird has launched Twitter.now while arguing that X abandoned rights in the famous Twitter brand — but a federal judge has yet to make a final ruling on the issue. The Twitter name has returned to social media, but the legal battle over who can use it is...

Singapore has launched a major public consultation examining how artificial intelligence should interact with the country's intellectual property regime, including the use of copyrighted works to train AI systems and the treatment of inventions created with AI...

The Chapter 11 filing highlights the potentially existential commercial consequences of a trade-dress finding, after a US court ordered Rebel Creamery to pay $23.785 million to rival Van Leeuwen and redesign its packaging. Rebel Creamery has filed for Chapter 11...

Netflix is facing a trademark lawsuit from Christian metal band Demon Hunter as the hugely successful KPop Demon Hunters franchise expands into music, merchandise, and live entertainment. Netflix's global KPop Demon Hunters phenomenon has run into an unexpectedly...

India's IP Office has opened a 15-day consultation on a revised draft trademark practice manual containing changes to filing procedures, opposition practice, digital processing and the treatment of prior-user and well-known marks. The Office of the Controller General...

The LABUBU owner has successfully opposed a US application for LAFUFU, illustrating how trademark owners can challenge marks that emerge around products alleged to be counterfeit or imitations. Pop Mart is using trademark enforcement to protect its LABUBU brand, with...

Chanel, Inc. has secured additional time to oppose a US trademark application for DD covering perfumes, fragrances, cosmetics, and personal care products. The fashion and beauty company filed a request for an extension of time with the US Patent and Trademark Office's...

Dutch company Mercis B.V., which owns registered Miffy copyrights and trademarks, has secured temporary relief against a group of online marketplace sellers accused of systematically infringing its Miffy rights in the US. In Mercis B.V. v. The Individuals,...

At INTA 2026, the spotlight turned to India as one of the world's most dynamic and challenging jurisdictions for brand owners. In an exclusive conversation with CTC Legal Media, Ranjan Narula, Founder and Managing Partner of RNA Technology and IP Attorneys, broke down...

As the global trademark community gathered for INTA 2026, the shifting legal sands of the Chinese market took center stage. In an insightful sit-down with CTC Legal Media, Melvin Mei of Rouse shared his expert perspective on how international brand owners can navigate...

Fast-fashion retailer Shein has lost a High Court copyright lawsuit against rival online marketplace Temu over the alleged use of photographs of Shein products, in a ruling that could have significant implications for the liability of online marketplaces hosting...

In an exclusive chat with Elizabeth Jordan, legal expert and author Dr. Hayleigh Bosher dives into the "murky territory" where the UK's current intellectual property framework meets the rapid evolution of generative AI. As a specialist in the creative industries and...

As the European IP community gathered in Dublin for the ECTA 2026 annual conference, the atmosphere was charged with the theme of "Green Light for Growth." Set against the backdrop of a city that hosts European headquarters for tech giants like Meta, LinkedIn, and...

Beginning September 1, 2026, new domain name registration rules enter into force in Russia. Domain name owners will be required to complete a verification procedure via Russia's official government services portal (Gosuslugi) to register, renew, purchase, sell, and...

A newly filed federal lawsuit involving the creators of Garten of Banban has brought competing KITTYSAURUS trademark claims into focus, although the available court records do not yet establish that the name is the specific subject of the litigation. The creators of...

Rihanna has secured a trademark victory in Türkiye after the country's courts ordered the invalidation of a third-party registration for the mark RIANNA, finding that it was sufficiently similar to the singer's earlier RIHANNA mark and could be associated with her...

After more than a decade of litigation rivaling The Odyssey in its duration and epic nature as it has traversed every level of the federal judiciary — including a landmark Supreme Court decision — the Ninth Circuit has issued what amounts to the final word in one of...

Reports that MySpace could be preparing for a return have sparked a wave of nostalgia across social media, with many former users reminiscing about profile songs, customizable pages, and the infamous "Top 8" friends list. But while the prospect of the once-dominant...

Argentina has been removed from the United States Trade Representative's (USTR) Special 301 Priority Watch List for the first time in more than a decade, marking a significant milestone in the country's efforts to strengthen its intellectual property (IP) framework....

New Delhi, August 2026 - Anand and Anand successfully represented 9562532 Canada Inc. in proceedings under the .IN Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (INDRP), securing an award directing the transfer of the disputed domain name www.runwaycatalog.in. The Arbitrator...

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has released the latest edition of its flagship report examining the economic impact of intellectual property (IP)-intensive industries, revealing that sectors reliant on patents, trademarks, and copyrights...

China's cultural industries are increasingly embracing an integrated intellectual property strategy, with web novels, micro dramas, and video games forming what industry leaders have described as a unified IP development ecosystem capable of generating significant...

A growing body of litigation across the US and Europe is beginning to establish the legal boundaries governing the use of intellectual property in artificial intelligence (AI) development. Recent decisions involving AI training data, copyright, trademarks, and digital...

This judgment is among the first significant Indian decisions to examine how traditional copyright principles apply to generative artificial intelligence and large language models. In refusing interim relief to ANI Media Pvt. Ltd., the Delhi High Court considered...

More than EUR 17 million worth of counterfeit products were seized during the Joint Action Day (JAD) Pirates 4, an international operation led by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) in cooperation with the European Union Intellectual Property Office...

London, UK - July 16, 2026 - Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CLVT), a leading global provider of transformative intelligence, is proud to support the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in launching an AI-assisted image search within its public trademark search system, TM...

The traditional approach For decades, brand protection followed a familiar playbook: register trademarks, monitor the market, and take action against infringers. That approach is no longer sufficient. Today, brands are discovered, compared, recommended, and ranked by...

£6.5bn uplift to the Growth Guarantee Scheme to unlock further lending to smaller businesses over the next four years Up to £500m of ENABLE Guarantee capacity ringfenced over the next 12 months to support Intellectual Property-rich smaller businesses Joint British...

Temu's annual report on intellectual property enforcement sets out expanded protections across seller onboarding and live listings, with proactive monitoring covering more than 15,000 brands BOSTON, July 13, 2026 - Temu expanded its intellectual property (IP)...

On July 8, 2026, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), in cooperation with the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations (UANIPIO), integrated industrial design data from Ukraine into DesignView, the world's largest design...

Intellectual property (IP) filings at the EUIPO reached record levels in the first half of 2026, with total EU trademark and EU design applications reaching 166,214, up 4.7% on the same period last year. The increase was driven by strong demand for EU trademarks,...

Jellycat, the British luxury plush toy brand renowned for its ultra-soft and whimsical designs, has sued Next, Hamleys, and Bessie London in the High Court. At the time of writing, not all of Jellycat’s claims are yet public, but are likely to involve at least...

Imagine teaching a machine to paint like Raja Ravi Verma, write like Arundhati Roy, or compose music in a style reminiscent of A.R. Rahman. To achieve that, the machine must absorb thousands of hours of music, millions of pages of text, and vast collections of visual...

New resource to strengthen IP capability and support commercialization across the UK research sector The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has today launched the Knowledge Asset Management Hub. This new resource is designed to help universities and other...

As the Editor of The Trademark Lawyer, I am steeped in the world of intellectual property every single day. Yet, nothing quite prepares you for the sheer scale, energy, and global synergy of an International Trademark Association (INTA) Annual Meeting. With the 2026...

The Federal Circuit's ruling in Curtin v. United Trademark Holdings sets a binding standard for who can challenge a registered character trademark When the US Supreme Court declined to hear the petition in Curtin v. United Trademark Holdings on April 20, 2026, it made...

The Delhi High Court's decision in Hindware v. Google marks an important development in the intermediary liability jurisprudence. By holding Google liable for trademark infringement through its AdWords program, the Court has narrowed the protective umbrella of "safe...

The guidance will support shoppers to make the most of the UK's thriving pre-loved market safely, after 1 in 4 bought a fake without knowing. New government guidance aims to help second-hand shoppers shop safely and confidently and avoid counterfeits - as the market...

In January 2026, superstar TikTok creator Khaby Lame announced a $975 million all-stock transaction with Rich Sparkle Holdings, which centered on the creation of an AI "digital twin" of Lame. Reports pertaining to the deal indicated that Rich Sparkle Holdings would...

Managing global intellectual property more efficiently with trusted data, expert support, and integrated services London, UK, May 21, 2026 - Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CLVT), a leading global provider of transformative intelligence, today announced that IPfolio has been...

A small business defeated one of the world's most powerful tech companies in an intellectual property fight, winning the right to keep its name, and TikTok was ordered to pay costs. In a ruling that will resonate across the small business community, an independent...

Of all the legislative initiatives unveiled in the recent King's Speech, the European Partnerships Bill has the potential to be one of the most structurally consequential. Driven by the government's stated ambition to move closer to the European Union and recapture a...

The rivalry between SHEIN and TEMU has evolved far beyond a competition over cheap clothing and online shopping. What began as a race to dominate ultra‑fast fashion has developed into a globe‑spanning dispute over intellectual property, with both companies accusing...

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has published its Corporate Plan for 2026 to 2027, setting out its priorities and commitments for the year ahead. The plan outlines how the UKIPO will continue to deliver a modern, trusted IP framework that continues to...

As counterfeiting becomes an increasingly sophisticated challenge for brands globally, TikTok Real gives rights holders the tools, transparency, and direct partnership they need to protect what they've built.  TikTok Real is a comprehensive intellectual property...

Taylor Swift has never been shy about taking control of her intellectual property. From her well‑documented battle over master recordings to an extensive global trademark portfolio covering everything from album titles to tour names and fan engagement, Swift has...

The Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA) is delighted to announce that Daniel Hardman-Smart has been elected as President of CITMA. Hardman-Smart began his two-year term in the role on 21st April 2026 after being voted in by CITMA Council. He succeeds...

Amazon Technologies, L’Oréal, IGT, and Glaxo Group / GSK among the largest trademark portfolio owners across jurisdictions London, UK - April 27, 2026 - Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CLVT), a leading global provider of transformative intelligence, today released the Trademark...

Household names, national treasures, and the mark where it all began – Britain crowns its most iconic trademark The Intellectual Property Office reveals the trademarks the public voted the most iconic to celebrate the 150 year anniversary of trademark registration in...

World IP Day, an initiative of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), seeks to raise awareness of how intellectual property rights shape everyday life. In 2026, WIPO has chosen the theme' IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate,' turning the spotlight on the...

World Intellectual Property Day 2026 highlights the theme of IP and sport, which has become increasingly relevant for brands operating across performance, culture, technology, and global media. Intellectual property now sits at the heart of how sports brands innovate,...

As World Intellectual Property Day approaches on 26 April 2026, we asked our Editorial Board for their thoughts on this year’s theme: IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate. Providing unique insight from their respective jurisdictions, our Editorial Board members reflect...

Europe is strong in innovation and ideas, but the underuse of intellectual property (IP) as a basis for financing widens the gap with other global economies. Financial and market constraints push many innovative firms to relocate outside the EU. Stronger IP portfolios...

Ambush marketing—when a brand attempts to associate itself with an event without paying to become an official sponsor—might seem like a clever strategy to capitalize on collective fanfare, signal brand alignment, and gain coveted exposure, without paying the premium...

Should the UK government legislate to protect "personality rights"?  It's a question that has vexed parliamentarians, famous people, and members of the public caught in the cross-hairs of the public eye for years. One of the conclusions in the government's Report on...

A significant shift is coming for businesses that rely on UK intellectual property rights. From 1 April 2026, the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) will implement its biggest fee increase for some time (trademark fees have been unchanged since 1998, design fees...

Following the hotly debated and divisive consultation on AI and copyright last year, Tech Secretary Liz Kendall has today published her report, which lacks concrete reforms to support creatives against AI giants training on their copyrighted work for free. In...

With founder-led businesses hitting the headlines and going viral on social media, the recent legal proceedings brought by Estée Lauder against Jo Malone and Zara present an interesting challenge for those with businesses named after them, looking to sell up in the...

In a majority (3:2 split) decision handed down today, the High Court of Australia has clarified the operation of the opposition ground under section 60 and the cancellation grounds under section 88 of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) (TMA) in the long-running dispute...

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO), in conjunction with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), has today confirmed that baseline funding for the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) will be maintained for a further three...

The intersection of national security and artificial intelligence (AI) has reached a critical flashpoint. Recently, the US Pentagon approved Elon Musk's Grok AI for classified military operations while simultaneously threatening Anthropic with penalties for its...

Libya's Trade Mark Office has introduced a series of measures that have significantly affected trademark practice in the country. These include amendments to official fees, a substantial increase in renewal fees for the full term of protection, and the suspension of...

In a landmark judgment that provides definitive clarity on the protection of dairy designations in the UK, the Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by Swedish oat-drink manufacturer Oatly AB, confirming the invalidation of its trademark for the phrase “Post Milk...

New York, New York—February 11, 2026—The International Trademark Association (INTA) is pleased to announce the signing of Cooperation Agreements with four leading UK intellectual property (IP) organizations:  The Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG);  The Chartered...

Illicit trade in counterfeit goods is not only an economic threat, it is a profound social one. While counterfeiting harms legitimate brands, industries, and governments, it also generates hundreds of billions of USD in illegal profits each year. A less visible but...

New York, NY—January 14, 2026—The International Trademark Association (INTA) has officially opened registration for its 148th Annual Meeting, taking place May 2–6, 2026, in London, England.   This milestone follows the most successful pre-registration in INTA's...

In 2025, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) received 327,735 new applications for EU trademarks and EU designs. It is the highest annual number of intellectual property (IP) applications since the Office began accepting filings in 1996. Overall,...

The Delhi High Court delivered a significant judgment on November 24, 2025, in the case of Tesla Inc. v. Tesla Power India Private Limited & Ors. ​ (CS(COMM) 353/2024). The case involves a dispute over trademark infringement and passing off between Tesla Inc....

The National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) has issued Resolution No. 583/2025, which introduces changes of a structural nature to the trademark registration process. These changes amend long-standing examination criteria and reorganize the administrative...

The UK's trademark registry has reached a significant milestone, celebrating 150 years since the first trademark was registered on January 1, 1876. To mark this landmark anniversary, the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has launched a public vote inviting the...