Previous news from Thomson Snell & Passmore

Business Law May 2007

Posted: 7 June 2007 More details...

Business Law January 2007
The existing rules that deal with how companies are set up and run in the United Kingdom are currently undergoing a major overhaul. The changes will apply to all companies, whether they are small or large, private or public. Even foreign companies with a place of business in the United Kingdom will be affected.
Posted: 16 January 2007 More details...

Workplace Law - Summer 2006

Posted: 18 August 2006 More details...

IP/IT Law
Welcome to our latest edition, in which we report on developments in:

• E-commerce
• The implementation of the Intellectual Property Enforcement Directive
• The new initiatives by the Patent Office for low-cost dispute resolution.

But, perhaps, the most eagerly-awaited event in the field of intellectual property (certainly, the most high-profile) was the Da Vinci Code judgment. Cynics claimed the case was a massive publicity stunt for both books and the forthcoming film of the Da Vinci Code. Well, if that is true, it was a very expensive publicity stunt (especially for Baigent and Leigh) - with 85% of Random House's costs to meet (about £1.3 million according to the papers), and their own costs, it seems unlikely that such a stunt would increase book sales to the extent necessary for them to break even - even though sales of their book have reportedly dramatically increased. What a pity for them that the Patent Office's new Mediation Service has only just been launched.
Posted: 10 August 2006 More details...

Trade Marks
Descriptiveness

Under the Trade Marks Directive, marks which are devoid of distinctive character or "consist exclusively of signs or indications to designate the kind, quality, quantity, intended purpose… of the goods or service" may not be registered. This means that marks which are purely descriptive of the goods or services concerned are not registrable.
Posted: 22 March 2006 More details...