PATENTS, TRADE MARKS AND DESIGNS
WE HELP INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES OF ALL shapes and SIZES
Schlich is a unique team of European Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys based in the South of England. Since 2004, we’ve helped our clients acquire, and defend, their IP assets, helping them to build and grow successful businesses based on their IP assets.
We draft and file patent applications, get them granted and enforce them. We also prepare and file trade mark applications and prosecute them to registration.
To enforce our clients’ rights, we also represent them in court and other inter partes proceedings (and, where necessary, attack and remove competitors’ rights).
Recent Insights
Read the latest news and briefings from the team at Schlich about real cases involving patents, trade marks and designs.
A not so rosy decision for L’Oréal
In a recent judgement, the Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) dealt with a trade mark dispute between well-known cosmetics manufacturer L'Oréal and Chinese rival Guangzhou Ya Ti Ao Jia Cosmetics Co., Ltd ‘Guangzhou’ regarding L'Oréal’s figurative rose mark associated with the Lancôme brand.
UPC Court of Appeal Shifts Focus to Germany
We recently reported on the UPC’s decision to hear the Nokia v Mala case, regardless of parallel German proceedings pending for the same patent. Interestingly, the UPC Court of Appeal has reacted quickly with a different view. This update is reported here.
Your Court or Mine? UPC takes home advantage
Nokia filed two separate revocation actions challenging Mala’s EP 2 044 709 patent, valid only in Germany. The first was filed on 29 April 2021 in the German Federal Patent Court but was unsuccessful, as the patent was upheld (appeal pending). The second was filed on 15 December 2023 in the Unified Patent Court (UPC). This article focuses on Mala’s objection to the UPC's jurisdiction, in which they argued that since a revocation action was already ongoing in Germany, the UPC should reject Nokia’s action as inadmissible.
The Federal Circuit clarifies conflicts arising between Patent Term Adjustment and Obviousness-type Double Patenting
We perceive a sigh of relief from some patent holders following issue of the US Federal Circuit’s decision in Allergan USA v. MSN Labs, 24-1061 (Fed. Cir. August 13, 2014) (“Allergan”). This decision appears to forestall the revocation of some patents following the concerning precedential Federal Circuit decision In re Cellect (No. 22-1293) (“Cellect”).
Directors Off the Hook: Supreme Court Rules No Personal Liability in Lifestyle Equities CV v Ahmed
Does the recent UK Supreme Court provide company directors with a ‘Get out of jail free card’ for personal liability?
What Satisfies the Palate of the EPO’s Boards of Appeal? Fish Oil and Fruit Juice, Apparently…
In a recent decision, the EPO’s Boards of Appeal have confirmed the importance of filing data to support arguments relating to sufficiency of disclosure in EPO opposition proceedings. The patent concerned related to a mixture of fish oil and fruit juice which was alleged to have anticancer properties. The opponent argued the constituents required to achieve the anticancer effect were not sufficiently disclosed, but failed to provide enough data to convince the Board of Appeal. Hence, the Board was satisfied the claimed composition was sufficiently disclosed and ordered that the patent be maintained in amended form.
First Revocation Decision of the UPC Confirms the European Approach to Antibody Inventions
This case represents the first revocation issued by the UPC and so gives several useful insights into the way in which the court will apply the law.
German Court Confirms That Two Means Two and Three Means Three – A Stripy Dispute Between Adidas and Nike
In this case, the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf decided that Adidas could not enforce its registered trade mark for trousers having three stripes along their side against Nike’s trousers having only two stripes along their side. This case highlights the limits of protection conferred by figurative trade marks, particularly those involving relatively simple patterns.
EXCELLENCE IN PATENT AND TRADE MARK LAW
The Schlich Team
Our clients expect and receive a responsive, friendly, high quality and great value service thanks to our experienced professionals. Our UK and European Patent Attorneys and Chartered Trade Mark Attorneys have a broad range of scientific and technical degrees and Ph.Ds from top UK Universities, and have decades of experience advising at cutting edge of legal and commercial issues and technologies.
We build on our deep experience of prosecution and inter partes proceedings to give the best strategic and practical advice, and to secure the best patent and trade mark protection for our clients’ innovations. Our team does this efficiently, and in a friendly and clear manner, supported by a wider team of highly skilled and experienced legal support staff.
Latest Firm News
LINET Group awarded best-designed product in Europe
LINET Group’s Essenza 300 LT bed has been awarded the best designed product in Europe in the Industry category by DesignEuropa.
Schlich Attorneys Recognised Again as Rising Stars
We are very pleased to congratulate Sean Hughes and Carolyn Haywood for both being recognised as Rising Stars in the 2024 Managing IP rankings.
Schlich listed in the FT as one of Europe’s Leading Patent Law Firms 2024
We are extremely pleased to announce that Schlich has been listed by the UK’s Financial Times as one of their leading European patent law firms for 2024.
