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In order to be subject to non-domestic rates, a commercial space must be capable of beneficial occupation for the purpose for which it is intended. In a guideline case, a tribunal considered whether that criterion is met by so-called 'white space' in the...
Wholesale copyright infringement – otherwise known as piracy – has been a feature of the internet almost since its inception. In coming decisively to the aid of six major film and television studios, however, the High Court showed that...
Artificial intelligence may be advanced but, at least so far as patent law is concerned, it has yet to overcome the human monopoly on inventiveness. The point was made by a Court of Appeal test case concerning devices that were said to have been invented by...
The average consumer is not a fool, but trade mark law is all about mistakes and unwitting assumptions they might be expected to make. The Court of Appeal made that point in a case concerning competing brands of bourbon . A supplier of luxury bourbon held...
No matter how small your business may be, it is always worth engaging a solicitor to ensure that you have proper trade mark protection. In a High Court case on point, registration of various trade marks paid dividends to a sole trader who made a modest...
When christening a new business, it is vitally important to get a professional to check that the name you have chosen does not tread on anyone else's intellectual property rights. In one case, a bitter harvest was reaped by a jewellery designer who failed...
Bad blood often exists between trade rivals, but is it an acceptable business practice for them to poke fun at one another? The High Court tackled that issue in the context of a trade mark dispute between tech giant Apple and Swiss watch manufacturer...
Every internet user has had the experience of mechanically scrolling through densely typed terms and conditions before being granted access to a website – but are they worth anything in law? The High Court tackled that issue in confirming an online...
The advent of the internet means that spotless professional reputations, built up over decades, can be traduced at the click of a button. As one case showed, however, if you are on the receiving end of such treatment, you don't have to take it lying down. ...
The internet brings many benefits, but the widespread provision of software used in wholesale copyright infringement is decidedly not one of them. The High Court powerfully made that point in assisting record companies to stamp out the latest manifestation...
