http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2025/03/never-too-late-if-you-missed-ipkat-last.html
IPKat’s Weekly Legal Digest: Don’t Miss Out!
Rose Hughes reviewed the capabilities and limitations of AI-powered software designed to assist in patent drafting.
Katfriend Paul England (Taylor Wessing) discussed the current state of Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs) in the UK, questioning whether the system needs reform, by reviewing the recent English Court of Appeal decision in Merck Serono SA v Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks [2025] EWCA Civ 45 (28 January 2025).
Oliver Fairhurst covered a legal case involving Illiquidx and Altana, focusing on a dispute concerning breach of confidence and patent rights.
Trade Marks
Marcel Pemsel discussed the importance of considering potential red flags and red lines when choosing a trademark, highlighting often overlooked factors.
Anastasiia Kyrylenko reported on the BPATG’s decision to reject proposed amendments to the specifications of a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).
Söğüt Atilla discussed the EUIPO’s decision to uphold the trademark protection for “KIM KARDASHIAN,” highlighting the importance of reputation in trademark law.
Copyright and Design Law
Alessandro Cerri detailed a decision by a Delaware court where the fair use defense was successfully applied in a copyright infringement case.
Rose Hughes reported on a CJEU ruling that clarifies the rules for determining jurisdiction in cases of design infringement.
Miscellaneous, IP Events and Opportunities
Katfriend Seun Lari-Williams (University of Antwerp) featured excerpts from speeches by Chief Afe Babalola and Dele Farotimi, discussing the importance of intellectual property for nation building in Nigeria.
Alessandro Cerri informed the Readers of events and opportunities. The Association Litteraire et Artistique Internationale (ALAI) has announced that its next Annual Congress will be taking place in Opatija, Croatia, between 9-11 October 2025. The Liverpool Law School is seeking to appoint a Lecturer in IP law, and would welcome applications by candidates with interests and expertise in any area of IP law broadly defined. The European Commission (DG SANTE) has begun an evaluation of Regulation (EC) No 2100/94 on Community plant variety rights, which created the regime for granting Community plant variety rights (CPVR).
Marcel Pemsel provided a summary of other IP events and opportunities: 4iP Council’s webinar on 13 March 2025 and LES ‘Licensing & Asia’ seminar on 20 March 2025. The post also presented the new Open Data Portal launched by the USPTO and informed the Readers of the Information Law Series Archive by Wolters Kluwer.
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