Case Studies

Facts: We were approached by a computer retailer who had received a ‘cease-and-desist’ letter from solicitors saying that his company name was infringing their client’s name and asking for an undertaking to stop using the name forthwith. Our client had been using the name for 16 years and was aware that the competitor had been using the same name for a number of years also. There had been legal wrangling between them for some time. We immediately carried out a free trademark search for our clien..... Read the full case study >

Facts: We acted for a business-minded doctor who wanted to import an innovative sports product from the United States not previously on sale in the UK. He had spent a lot of time and money researching the UK market and had approached the US manufacturer to seek appointment as their excusive UK distributor. The US supplier had send emails confirming that he was the exclusive distributor and he therefore spent a further £30,000 developing a website as a platform for the sale of the products in the..... Read the full case study >

Facts: We were approached by a National Sporting Association. There had been a political split at board level and the ex-chairman had gone off and set up a competing association. He had written to the organisation telling then that they could not use the logo that they had used for over 20 years because he had designed it and the copyright in the design was his since it had never been assigned to the Association. Technically, this was correct because ownership of the copyright in any design will..... Read the full case study >

Facts: One of our clients is a well-known TV chef. We advised him to protect not only the name of his famous restaurant by trademark registration, but also his name. We filed applications that protected his personal name as a registered trade mark, not only for restaurants but for an extensive range of goods and services including kitchen utensils, books, videos, entertainment, education and training, hotel services, and food and drink products. This enabled him to appoint consultants to licence..... Read the full case study >

Facts We acted for a successful online retailer who decided to take in a business partner. A joint venture company was set up but we advised our client to retain ownership of the trademark registration and business names and licence them to the business. This not only enabled him to charge a royalty to the business but after a short honeymoon period there was a huge shareholders bust up as a result of which the company was would up and a liquidator appointed to sell the business. However, no-one..... Read the full case study >

Facts: Our client was an Italian cheese manufacturer who had been supplying his UK distributor with luxury dairy and cheese products under the Italian brand name for some years. The UK distributor had stopped ordering and had started selling a competing cheese product that he was manufacturing himself but still under our client’s name. Upon investigation we discovered that the UK distributor had filed a trademark registration in his own name which effectively meant he had hijacked our clie..... Read the full case study >

Facts: Our client was a manufacturer and online retailer of consumer audio products. He came to us when someone had copied his web-site onto a very similar domain name and was taking all his online business away. Since the web-site layout, navigation and copy had been altered it was difficult to say that there was any breach of copyright (although it was pretty clear that copying had taken place). What was much more significant was that our client’s url was highly registrable as a register..... Read the full case study >

Facts: We were approached by an entrepreneur who had been a member of a rock band that some sixteen years ago had been reasonably successful and had sold a few thousand records under their label. They had never protected the label or the band name. He is now a wealthy and successful businessman and his idea was to resurrect the band name and use it as a global brand for entertainment venues and spin off products like cosmetics and fashion. Unfortunately, in the intervening period someone had obt..... Read the full case study >

Facts: There are usually several members of a rock band or similar performing group. They may have a manager. Someone thinks of a name. It is a good name. They become famous. Then……they split up and the fun begins. Who owns the name? In fact, we have had this very case recently. The lead singer of a very famous band, lets call it Cool Daddy, had left the band some years ago but wanted to stop the remainder of the band continuing to use use his name. He also wanted to take part in a..... Read the full case study >

Facts: A local dentists business was trading under the name of its local village, lets call it ‘Greenhithe Dentists’. The practice had been going 30 years and had a huge following. In fact, people came from 30 miles away and had been doing for some years. The problem was that other local dentists were using the name ‘Greenhithe Dentists’ and ‘AAA Greenhithe Dentists’ to obtain business through local Yellow Pages Advertising and also by using Greenhithe Dentist..... Read the full case study >