United Kingdom: Copyright

Crafting the scope of protection for your patent or design right relies on striking the right balance between two factors: breadth and validity. You will want to make the right as broad as possible, to capture any possible infringement and minimise the room available for someone to work around your right.

The UK Intellectual Property Office Corporate Plan 2026-2027 outlines a transformative agenda centered on digital modernisation, AI integration, and enhanced accessibility for innovators and businesses. As the final year of a multi-year strategy, the plan addresses critical challenges including system-wide digital transformation, AI policy development for copyright, and expanded support for SMEs seeking to leverage IP assets. What opportunities and transitional complexities will practitioners and rights hol

The EU General Court's decision in Crocs Inc v EUIPO reveals how even globally iconic product designs can be invalidated for lack of individual character, demonstrating that commercial success alone cannot protect intellectual property rights. This case highlights the critical need for product-as-brand businesses to implement staged IP strategies that evolve from design rights at launch to trade mark protection as brand recognition develops.

The digital age has made films, TV shows, and music instantly accessible online, but much of this content is shared illegally without copyright owners' consent. Criminal prosecutions for online piracy can result in substantial fines and even imprisonment, though enforcement typically targets distributors rather than individual consumers.

In the latest episode of Carpmaels in Conversation, Lara Elder and Harry Shaw discuss one of the most closely watched cases in intellectual property law: Getty Images v Stability AI. Using the case as a starting point, they examine a central question for modern copyright law: whether AI models trained on datasets that include copyright works should give rise to liability for infringement.

Rebecca Field and Lee Curtis reflect on fifty episodes of their Fashionably IP podcast, revisiting the most significant intellectual property cases and concepts they've covered in the fashion industry since May 2022. What patterns have emerged across these discussions, and which legal issues have proven most impactful in shaping fashion IP law?

Transport for London's public transport system relies on valuable intellectual property rights, with the iconic London Underground map serving as a prime example of copyright protection in action. Since Harry Beck's revolutionary 1933 design, the map has remained a protected asset, with licensing carefully managed to preserve its integrity while allowing commercial use.

High-profile celebrities including Taylor Swift and Luke Littler are turning to trade mark law to protect their voices, faces, and likenesses from AI-generated deepfakes and unauthorized commercial exploitation. As AI technology advances faster than legislation, these stars are proactively transforming their identities into legally enforceable brands rather than waiting for dedicated personality rights laws.

Brands planning marketing campaigns around the FIFA Men's World Cup 2026 face complex legal risks from ambush marketing regulations, intellectual property protections, and multi-party rights ownership.