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Thinking - Blog

Reproduction of infringing content online: who's liable?

Published on 21 Jul 2020. By Ciara Cullen, Partner and Louise Morgan, Senior Associate

Keyword advertising, search engine optimisation and liability for infringement via online marketplaces: In recent years, there has been a plethora of cases concerning the various ways that trade marks may be infringed, through use on the internet.

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Thinking - Blog

All change! No extension means major changes for IP rights holders from 1 January 2021

Published on 02 Jul 2020. By Ben Mark, Partner and Sarah Mountain, Partner

Under Article 132 of the Withdrawal Agreement, 30 June 2020 was the last day that the UK could have requested an extension to the Brexit transition period. The COVID-19 outbreak prompted many to speculate that a request would be made but the deadline passed, without event.

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Thinking - Blog

Accessory liability: when will directors be held liable for IP infringements committed by their companies – and what is counted as "profits"?

Published on 20 Jun 2024. By Emma Dunnill, Senior Associate and Rory Graham, Associate

The Supreme Court in Lifestyle Equities CV & Anor v Ahmed & Anor [2024] UKSC 17, has allowed an appeal by two company directors who were found liable as accessories to trade mark infringement by the company in which they were directors. The decision provides helpful clarification on the required elements for accessory liability in the context of IP right infringement claims and confirms the sums to be included in an account of profits if liability is established (spoiler alert: a director's salary is not considered to be "profit").

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Thinking - Blog

Online platforms should Swatch out: Samsung found liable for infringing third-party content available on the Samsung Galaxy App store

Published on 22 Jan 2024. By Sarah Mountain, Partner and Emma Dunnill, Senior Associate and Zoe Harvey, Associate

The Court of Appeal in Montres Breguet SA v Samsung Electronics [2023] EWCA Civ 1478 has dismissed Samsung's appeal and upheld a first instance decision which found it liable for trade mark infringement in relation to third-party watch faces available on the Samsung Galaxy App store. This judgment provides guidance on what constitutes "use" of a sign by an online app store and the applicability of the e-Commerce Directive hosting defence.

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Press and Media

Fast-growing IP and tech practice at RPC welcomes Caroline Tuck as Partner

Published on 16 Oct 2023. By Caroline Tuck, Partner

International law firm RPC is pleased to announce the appointment of Caroline Tuck as a Partner in its Intellectual Property and Technology (IP & Tech) team. Caroline Tuck joins RPC from Deloitte, where she was a Director in the Disputes team.

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Thinking - Blog

The November 2023 AI safety summit and the UK's direction of travel

Published on 29 Aug 2023. By Helen Armstrong, Partner and Charles Buckworth, Partner and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer

The government has confirmed that the UK AI safety summit will be held at Bletchley Park on 1 and 2 November 2023.

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Thinking - Blog

Telecoms supply agreement excludes "loss of profit" claim under "anticipated profits" liability exclusion (EE v Virgin Mobile)

Published on 25 Aug 2023. By Helen Armstrong, Partner and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer

In line with a number of recent cases, in EE Limited v Virgin Mobile Telecoms Limited [2023] EWHC 1989 (TCC) the courts have shown that parties generally cannot avoid clear wording contained in exclusion clauses in order to recover losses that have been expressly excluded (in this case, loss of profits).

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Thinking - Blog

Rolls-Royce entitled to hit the brakes in dispute over termination of a software services agreement (Topalsson v Rolls-Royce)

Published on 14 Aug 2023. By Helen Armstrong, Partner and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer

In Topalsson GmbH v Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited [2023] EWHC 1765 (TCC), the High Court has provided useful guidance on how to determine whether a software implementation timeline agreed by the parties is binding, when implementation is considered complete and in what circumstances failing to complete implementation by the contractual deadlines entitles the customer to terminate the contract.

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Thinking - Blog

A narrow escape – software services provider entitled to rely on single aggregate liability cap (Drax v Wipro)

Published on 25 Jul 2023. By Helen Armstrong, Partner and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer

When it comes to bespoke software development projects, a lot can go wrong. There's risk for the customer such as project delays, software defects, functionality issues and a lack of meeting of minds in terms of project requirements.

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Thinking - Blog

The Sky's the limit for trade mark applications. Or is it?

Published on 12 Jul 2023. By Sarah Mountain, Partner and Ellie Chakarto, Senior Associate

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Thinking - Blog

Netflix files lawsuit over 'Unofficial Bridgerton Musical'

Published on 24 Aug 2022. By Ela Broderick-Basar, Associate

On 29 July, Netflix filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. against two TikTok stars, Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, alleging that their Grammy-winning “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical” project infringed the hit show's intellectual property rights.

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Thinking - Blog

Stream on! CMA halts plans to investigate music streaming market

Published on 02 Aug 2022.

The UK's Competition & Markets Authority recently published its interim report on the music streaming market, prompting mixed responses from the music industry. Record labels, publishers and streaming providers appear generally pleased with the findings, but various artists, musicians, songwriters and managers say they believe it has underdelivered.

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Thinking - Blog

Parliamentary Group urges UK government to help musicians and crew tour Europe more easily

Published on 21 Jul 2022.

The All-Parliamentary Group on Music (a cross-party group of more than 100 MPS and Peers) together with representatives from the music industry set out the urgent steps the Government needs to take to help UK musicians following Brexit.

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Thinking - Blog

CMA ends its investigation into online console gaming subscription practices

Published on 14 Jun 2022. By Jonathan Greenway, Senior Associate and Joshua Charalambous, Partner

The UK Competition Markets Authority (CMA) has now closed its investigation into subscription practices in the online console gaming sector after key players Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft committed to making improvements to their contract terms with a view to better protecting customers.

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Thinking - Blog

A "golden age" of television? - Government announces overhaul of broadcasting legislation

Published on 29 Apr 2022. By Nadia Tymkiw, Senior Associate

On 28 April the government published a white paper setting out its vision for the broadcasting sector. Plans include regulation for streaming services, changes to the public service broadcasting regime, and reform to broadcasting rights for major sporting events.

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Thinking - Blog

Eurovision contestant and Rudimental come out on pop in copyright dispute

Published on 19 Aug 2021. By Jessica Pease, Associate

Coming out on pop: Rudimental's single Waiting All Night, composed by Eurovision 2021 contestant James Newman, was not the product of copying a song written in 2001 by a contestant on the Voice UK.

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Thinking - Blog

(Sex) Pistols at dawn over Danny Boyle's new biopic series

Published on 19 Jul 2021. By Sophie Parkinson, Associate

Sex Pistols band members accuse frontman John Lydon of being No Fun and creating Anarchy for refusing to authorise licences for the use of the band's music in Danny Boyle's forthcoming TV series, Pistol.

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Thinking - Blog

(Sex) Pistols at dawn over Danny Boyle's new biopic series

Published on 19 Jul 2021. By Sophie Parkinson, Associate

Sex Pistols band members accuse frontman John Lydon of being No Fun and creating Anarchy for refusing to authorise licences for the use of the band's music in Danny Boyle's forthcoming TV series, Pistol.

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Thinking - Blog

Who gets to deliver my news? - Ofcom starts its consultation on changes to media ownership restrictions

Published on 30 Jun 2021. By Kiran Dhoot, Associate

Ofcom is looking to update old rules governing media ownership in the UK to reflect consumers increased access to news online and the fragmented use of traditional media, and the implications of reform could be far reaching.

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Thinking - Blog

Streaming platforms to consolidate? "The stuff that dreams are made of"

Published on 10 Jun 2021. By Sophie Parkinson, Associate

Discovery and AT&T's WarnerMedia are merging to create a streaming behemoth named Warner Bros. Discovery, and Amazon is reportedly in talks to acquire Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM). Will this mark a trend in the consolidation of streaming platforms, and what are the implications?

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Thinking - Blog

Court of Appeal upholds copyright infringement decision against digital radio aggregator

Published on 12 Apr 2021. By David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech

The Court of Appeal has refused TuneIn's appeal of a 2019 judgment finding that it had infringed the copyright of Warner and Sony by linking to online radio stations.

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Thinking - Blog

Court of Appeal upholds copyright infringement decision against digital radio aggregator

Published on 12 Apr 2021. By David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech

The Court of Appeal has refused TuneIn's appeal of a 2019 judgment finding that it had infringed the copyright of Warner and Sony by linking to online radio stations.

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Thinking - Blog

UK Courts find hidden voice in film authorship dispute

Published on 12 Feb 2021.

The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) has found that there was there was an additional joint author of the Florence Foster Jenkins screenplay – in a decision of significant relevance to the film industry.

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Thinking - Blog

No bouncing back for directors

Published on 20 May 2024. By James Wickes, Partner and Adam Craggs, Partner and Catherine Zakarias-Welch, Knowledge Lawyer

Banned! Fraudsters! – Terms used by the Insolvency Service for directors who abused the government backed loan scheme which was put in place to help businesses struggling during the pandemic.

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Thinking - Snapshot

Harmful Online Choice Architecture: ASA criticises Nike and Sky for “dark pattern” tactics

Published on 10 Dec 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

What must businesses do to ensure that their ads do not fall foul of the ASA and CMA’s ongoing investigations into harmful choice architecture and dark pattern tactics?

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Thinking - Snapshot

Agreements to agree: Price for goods “to be fixed” by agreement results in partially enforceable contract

Published on 10 Dec 2024. By Caroline Tuck, Partner and Eleanor Harley , Senior Associate

Where a contract for the sale of goods did not expressly specify the price for a portion of the goods, was the contract for the sale of those goods, or an element of it, enforceable or unenforceable as a mere agreement to agree?

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Thinking - Snapshot

Influencer posts and affiliate links: the whole marketing chain must know the rules

Published on 10 Dec 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

Why did the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rule against Sainsbury’s on the use of an affiliate link by an influencer (noting that Sainsbury’s had no involvement in the creation of the post) and what steps could Sainsbury’s take to help prevent the problem from happening again?

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Thinking - Snapshot

Construing material adverse effect/material adverse change clauses

Published on 10 Dec 2024. By Caroline Tuck, Partner and Eleanor Harley , Senior Associate

How did the courts go about construing a material adverse effect definition (MAE) in a share purchase agreement (SPA) to determine whether an event constituted a MAE so as to discharge the buyers from their obligation to close the transaction?

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Thinking - Snapshot

Travel agent found to have misled consumers with “from” price claims

Published on 10 Dec 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

How can advertisers avoid misleading consumers when using “from” price claims?

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Thinking - Snapshot

Reasonable notice termination not construed or implied into a contract with detailed termination provisions

Published on 10 Dec 2024. By Caroline Tuck, Partner and Eleanor Harley , Senior Associate

Where a contract contains comprehensive termination provisions, in what circumstances will the court avoid construing or implying an additional right to terminate on reasonable notice?

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Thinking - Snapshot

ASA rules against telecoms companies on mid-contract price rises

Published on 10 Dec 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

What steps should be taken to ensure contractual mid-term price rises don’t fall foul of advertising regulations or Ofcom’s existing and incoming transparency rules?

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Thinking - Snapshot

Effect of a contractual liability cap on set-off and contractual interest

Published on 10 Dec 2024. By Caroline Tuck, Partner and Eleanor Harley , Senior Associate

Under a contract’s liability cap, should the cap be applied separately to each party’s liability before any set-off or after calculating the net financial position between the parties?

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Thinking - Snapshot

Round up of recent green claims

Published on 10 Dec 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

Round up of recent green claims: Key updates and sector-specific updates

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Thinking - Snapshot

Snapshots Winter 2024

Published on 10 Dec 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner and David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech

A roundup of key legal developments for the modern commercial lawyer.

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Thinking - Snapshot

Snapshots Autumn 2024

Published on 17 Oct 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner and David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech

A roundup of key legal developments for the modern commercial lawyer.

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Thinking - Snapshot

Court infers novation despite 'no dealings' clause

Published on 17 Oct 2024.

Magee and others v Crocker and others [2024] EWHC 1723 (Ch)

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Thinking - Snapshot

Determining whether a default interest clause is an unenforceable penalty

Published on 17 Oct 2024.

Houssein & Others v London Credit Limited & Another [2024] EWCA Civ 721

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Thinking - Snapshot

Agent authority in contract variation

Published on 17 Oct 2024. By David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech and Caroline Tuck, Partner

Advanced Multi-Technology for Medical Industry and others v Uniserve Ltd and others [2024] EWHC 1725 (Ch)

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Thinking - Snapshot

Contract construction – adjective at the start of a list found to qualify the entire list

Published on 17 Oct 2024.

Cantor Fitzgerald & Co v Yes Bank Ltd [2024] EWCA Civ 695

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Thinking - Snapshot

Updated CAP guidance on when in-game purchases are considered 'advertising'

Published on 17 Oct 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

When and how does the CAP Code apply to the advertising of in-game purchases such as "loot boxes" in apps and video games?

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Thinking - Snapshot

ASA continues to scrutinise aviation green claims

Published on 17 Oct 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

What can we learn from the Advertising Standards Authority's (ASA) recent rulings against green claims in the aviation industry?

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Thinking - Snapshot

ASA rules on impact of historic environmental performance on green claims

Published on 17 Oct 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

How does the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) say about poor historic environmental behaviour in respect of green claims?

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Thinking - Snapshot

IAB Europe's 12 guiding principles for the 2024-2029 EU legal agenda

Published on 17 Oct 2024.

What principles will guide IAB Europe in the upcoming EU legal agenda?

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Thinking - Snapshot

ASA rules that ad is not sufficient where influencers also have business interests

Published on 17 Oct 2024.

Why could Zoe and Huel not rely on a #ad disclosure in ads promoted by the famous entrepreneur, Steven Bartlett? And what does this mean for brands where the individual featured in their ads has a business interest in them?

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Thinking - Snapshot

Heating and insulation green claims under CMA review

Published on 17 Oct 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

What is the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) new guidance on the marketing of heating and insulation products and how does this fit into the wider consumer protection picture?

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Thinking - Snapshot

Snapshots Summer 2024

Published on 01 Aug 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner and David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech

A roundup of key legal developments for the modern commercial lawyer.

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Thinking - Snapshot

New Development: National Cyber Security Centre warns AI is likely to heighten global ransomware threat

Published on 17 Apr 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner and David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCQH, has published a report on the “near-term impact of AI on the cyber threat” over the next two years, which concludes that: (i) AI is already being used in cyber activity in a malicious way; and (ii) the volume of cyber attacks and the global ransomware threat are likely to be heightened over the next two years.

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Thinking - Snapshot

UK Government publishes response to AI White Paper consultation

Published on 17 Apr 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner and David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech

What approach has the UK Government’s adopted in its response to the consultation on the AI regulation White Paper (the White Paper)?

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Thinking - Snapshot

What the AI is going on… December 2023 to March 2024

Published on 17 Apr 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner and David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech

Google launched its newest GenAI, Gemini Nano. Designed specifically for mobile phones it presents new competition to market leaders OpenAI. Gemini Nano will allow AI apps that operate offline as opposed to only on servers and provide improved privacy for users.

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Thinking - Snapshot

Court of Appeal holds Samsung liable for trade mark infringement by third-party apps

Published on 17 Apr 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner and David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech

Can online platforms be liable for trademark infringement by third-party apps?

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