Insights
IP Law – How hard can it be?
By AWA | Posted on October 5, 2012
My trainee colleagues and I are now in the final stage of our first 5-week theory period. So many new impressions, new colleagues and new information have opened up for us, revealing an exciting new world of IP law. When I first applied for the Trainee program, I had very little knowledge of the many...
Tags: awapatent, IP, trainee programme
Chinese focus on IP
By Vibeke Warberg Rohde | Posted on October 1, 2012
Recently representatives of Awapatent participated in the China Intellectual Property Focus 2012 conference in Shanghai. Our participation is a part of our effort to make Awapatent’s name known in China, but we also believe that it is important to contribute to the growing IP awareness in China. Accordingly, Mikael Bergstrand from our Malmö office gave...
Design just as important as technical issues in Apple vs. Samsung verdict
By AWA | Posted on August 31, 2012
The dispute between Apple and Samsung on smartphones and tablets has received much public attention. Recently, a landmark verdict was reached when a California based court decided in Apple’s favour. Samsung now has to pay at least one billion US dollars to Apple, who also has sought a sales ban in the USA on a...
Tags: design protection, Infringement, Patent, Software, USA
Breast cancer gene patents once again found valid by US appeals court
By Niklas Mattsson | Posted on August 23, 2012
In the “Myriad case” an ongoing legal battle with many twists and turns, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, CAFC, has decided to once again uphold patent claims covering isolated human genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, owned at least partly by Myriad Genetics Inc in Utah, USA. The patent claims were initially invalidated in...
Tags: gene patents, USA
Counterfeit Goods in the EU – Troubling News but No Surprise
By AWA | Posted on August 14, 2012
On July 24, the European Commission published a press release concerning its report on seizure of counterfeit goods during 2011 in the EU (see the full report). It turns out that seizure of suspected counterfeit goods increased some 15 % compared to 2010. Top categories are medicines (24 %), packaging material (21 %) and cigarettes...
Tags: china, counterfeits, EU, Infringement, IP rights, Piracy, Trademark
Big Bucks Bunny – Decision on Protection of 3-D Community Trademarks in the EU
By Claus Marcussen | Posted on August 8, 2012
The renowned chocolate manufacturer, Lindt & Sprüngli AG, had filed an application for the protection of their gold rabbit with a red ribbon as a 3-D Community trademark with OHIM (the Community trademarks office). The list of goods comprised “chocolate and chocolate products” in international class 30. A three-dimensional mark is a mark consisting of...
A new dawn for protection of designs?
By AWA | Posted on July 6, 2012
It is no secret that the differences in national European law concerning the protection of designs, has been driving many Danish rights holders crazy for years on end. It has been difficult to come to terms with the fact that while many of our prominent Danish designs – designs of which we as a nation are...
New decision on Utility Models from the Danish Supreme Court
By Troels Peter Rørdam | Posted on June 29, 2012
The Danish Supreme Court has on 16 May 2012 pronounced an interesting decision regarding utility models. Case no 331/2010 – RASN A/S’ utility model no. DK 2007 00003, concerns a device for loading and unloading cargo items into and out of aero planes. Previously, the DKPTO Board of Appeal for Patents upheld the utility model...
Tags: patents, utility models
The IP Translator watch is finally over
By Kristian Martinsson | Posted on June 25, 2012
On 19 June 2012, the Court of Justice of the European Union finally delivered its judgment regarding the legality of the of OHIM’s class heading practice. So, what is IP Translator? The case relates to the lawfulness of the OHIM’s practice that begun in 2003, which means that when a class heading in the Nice...
Tags: European Union, IP Translator, judgment, the court of justice
ZLATAN, ROONEY and EURO 2012 – Protected as Trademarks
By AWA | Posted on June 20, 2012
EURO 2012 is indeed on-going and now it is time for the exiting quarter-finals. Huge investments have been made for the tournament and companies are using various branding strategies to become connected to EURO 2012. However, in these times it is more important than ever to discuss with your marketing departments how you are going...
Tags: brands, Community trademark, Football, trademark registrations
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