What does the current EU Withdrawal Agreement mean for owners of EU Trade Marks and Community Designs?
After months of uncertainty, the Cabinet have backed a Draft Agreement for the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU.
Ensuring you and your business are protected, informed and aware of all your options and obligations overseas and within the UK.
Distinct, credible and a cost effective alternative to larger, established national and international law firms. We support our UK clients throughout the EU, North America, Asia, South America and Eastern Europe and our many international clients with interests here in the UK.
Drawing on our in-depth cross practice expertise, specifically in intellectual property (IP), corporate, commercial, employment, regulatory and property law, we offer reliable and robust cross jurisdiction, international legal services.
Our experienced teams have built trusted, well established and proactive relationships with overseas lawyers, extending our global reach, capacity and benefits to you. With no satellite offices to man and maintain our costs are value driven - ensuring timely delivery and high quality support underpinned by pragmatic commercial sense and all important local knowledge.
Ensuring you and your business are protected, informed and aware of all your options and obligations overseas and within the UK.
Advising US corporations with UK operations:
- Manheim Europe Limited (US owned), the car auction house with its UK head office in Leeds.
- The US based owners of Lindapter International, the Yorkshire based innovator in steelwork connections.
Our commercial team has:
- Acted as lead external commercial adviser for Callcredit Information Group, one of the UK’s three credit reference agencies, in relation to numerous matters;
- Established a consumer-orientated e-commerce site with a national insulation manufacturer; and
- Acted for Communisis plc in relation to multiple supply and purchase contracts to major UK institutions.
Our intellectual property team has:
- Had a fraudulent website taken down within 2 hours of being instructed;
- Registered a design across the whole EU in under 2 days, for under £700;
- Provided advice on all aspects of UK and international design work – advising an increasing number of clients in relation to the cost effective Community Design, as well as filing for and obtaining US design patents, and design patents in Australia, the PRC, Taiwan and Japan;
- Represented numerous clients from Australia, China, Japan, the USA and Germany on contentious and non-contentious IP matters in the UK and the EU and, via our local associates, in numerous other countries around the world;
- Advised four clients in relation to design patent applications in the USA, and two in relation to design patent applications in China, Taiwan and Japan;
- Represented one client this year in relation to a new joint venture in the USA, in which our client is licensing in patents and know how, and taking a 50% stake in the JV company; and
- Advised one motor car manufacturer in relation to trade mark protection in the PRC, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.
Our Dispute Resolution and Litigation team has:
- Advised a global IT company on a software implementation dispute in South Africa;
- Represented a US IT client in legal proceedings in the UK under Saudi law;
- Acted for a European pharmaceutical company in a distribution dispute in Africa and the Pacific region;
- Represented a UK IT company in a dispute against a French customer;
- Acted in a shareholder dispute in a mining company in Africa;
- Experience in ICC arbitration proceedings in energy sector projects in Africa; and
- Acted for a supplier in the aerospace sector in a dispute with a customer in Germany.
Roundtable discusses US UK Trade opportunities post-Brexit and Trump
With export a hot topic for UK businesses as we prepare for Brexit, it’s also a great chance to look beyond Europe at the opportunities presented by trading further afield, for example, with the US.
West Yorkshire stairlift company reaches world leading heights
While Acorn Stairlifts is well-known as a leader in its field in the UK, most people will probably be surprised to hear that one of the company’s stairlifts is installed somewhere in the world every nine minutes!
Intellectual property infringement - proceedings threats
Under UK patent, design and trade mark law...
‘Made in Yorkshire’ - reshoring generates positive outlook for manufacturing companies in Yorkshire
Recent years have seen many UK businesses outsource their production operations abroad, particularly to China, India, Asia and Turkey.
Intellectual property and the textile sector
Exciting times lie ahead for the textile sector. At one of our previous seminars Allied Textiles, the University of Leeds and the Textile Centre of Excellence shared with the audience the opportunities that are available for growth.
The European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights
I have noticed that there are many lawyers and clients who are unclear as to the difference between the functions of the European Court of Justice ‘ECJ’ and the European Court of Human Rights ‘ECtHR.’
The Cloud
One of the difficulties with cloud computing, and one of the reasons that various businesses and sectors (including the legal sector) are only just starting to realise the benefits of cloud computing, is that it means different things to different people.
Shopping for divorce in Europe
Some savvy clients who are able to, shop around to find out which country is best to divorce in. We call this forum-shopping and it is a perfectly legitimate thing to do. In fact, some academics argue that the applicable European regulations encourage it.…
Leeds advisers aid £1.2m investment in ‘Monster Project’
Working in conjunction with the GrowthAccelerator service, a team of legal and financial advisers from Leeds has supported the set up of a new £1.2m animation business that is expected to create 20 new jobs in Leeds and Crowle, North Lincolnshire.
IP team protect young Leeds jewellery business
The Intellectual Property team have helped a new Leeds business to protect itself as it prepares to expand overseas.
Sogeval acquires Yorkshire veterinary products company
Leading French veterinary drug company Sogeval has purchased York-based Alstoe Ltd Animal Health.
Silver Cross inspires innovative Yorkshire manufacturers
Alan Halsall, owner of Skipton-based Silver Cross, was the key speaker at a seminar attended by more than 70 senior business leaders, focussing on innovation and the importance of protecting it with robust Intellectual Property.
Innovation continues to thrive in Yorkshire manufacturing
The strength of Yorkshire’s innovation in manufacturing was recently celebrated at an event in Leeds which brought together some of the region’s leading manufacturing innovators to debate how innovation creates competitive advantage.
New associate joins the commercial team
We are delighted to announce that Lewis Toohey has joined as an associate in the growing commercial team.
