If Santa belongs to everyone, how can he be trade marked?
Santa Claus is a beloved figure around the world who is associated with the holiday season. While many people now associate Santa with the…
Trade Marks
Design Rights – what is possible to protect?
Design rights exist in order to protect unique features which determine how the whole or part of a product or article will look. Design…
Non-disclosure agreements
Confidential information is valuable to many organisations but often needs to be shared with third parties including investors, potential…
Analysis of 3D printing and what you need to be aware of when printing for commercial use
Viewed by some as the future of manufacturing (and potentially the future of piracy), 3D printing technology is older than many people…
Key Points for your commercial contracts
As many people will be aware, it is good practice for a contract to be in place for any commercial relationship. These can set out a…
Should I protect the name of my business as a trade mark or my logo?
A trade mark is a sign which is used by a business to differentiate its products or services from those of its competitors. A huge variety…
Protecting Your Brand as a New Business.
The number of new businesses in the UK has started to increase again following the pandemic. Business accelerators and incubators for start…
New accreditations signify breadth of expertise at Thorntons
Six lawyers at full-service law firm Thorntons have obtained specialist accreditations from the Law Society of Scotland.
Kirsty Stewart,…
From Champagne to Arbroath Smokies; Trade Mark Protected Geographical Indication and Protected Designation of Origin products
When thinking about trade marks, many of us will know that these require to be distinctive for the goods and services which are being…
Employment Law Webinar | Protecting Your Brand
Brand is crucial to any business owner. From name and slogan to your logo or even colour, these can all be associated with your brand.…
Jodorowsky’s Dune, NFTs, and Copyright
In November 2021, Christie’s auction house listed Michel Seydoux Presents Alejandro Jodorowsky's Dune from Frank Herbert's Novel (often…
The difference between Copyright and Trade Marks?
This is a question we receive from many clients. It is important to understand the difference between these key Intellectual Property…
Intellectual Property webinar | What makes a good trade mark and why should I protect it?
Brand is crucial to any business owner. Name, logo, symbols, slogan or even colour, can be associated with a brand. These assets can also…
Leading Scottish Law Firm Holds Intellectual Property Seminar for Business Owners
Brand is crucial to any business owner. Name, logo, symbols, slogan – even colour – can be associated with a brand. It’s vital that assets…
What’s in a name?
With Facebook planning to rebrand the company this week, many are wondering what the benefits of such a big change would be.
Why change…
A ‘Marvel’-lous look at trade mark breadth
One important aspect for businesses to understand about their trade marks is how broadly their intellectual property is protected. When…
The importance of marketing due diligence
Multinational brewery and pub chain Brewdog’s latest publicity provides a reminder to companies of the importance of carrying out the…
Trade Mark Do’s and Don’ts during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
We are approaching the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and although there will be no spectators this year, we will all no doubt be tuning in to watch…
Counterfeit Goods – The Consequence of Doing Nothing
The global pandemic has been a catalyst for change in many aspects of our everyday lives. One area in which we can observe this significant…
How can I find out if a business name is trade marked?
Despite the pandemic and several national lockdowns, 2020 saw a record number of around 407,510 new businesses open in the UK. As we…
‘Satan Shoes’ - The Devil is in protecting the detail
I am sure by now you may have heard about the IP battle which recently settled between MSCHF Product Studio and Nike in respect of the…