It has been reported in the Belfast Telegraph (link below): http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/news/global-drinks-giant-ab-inbev-forces-oneman-belfast-business-john-appleseed-to-change-name-claiming-trademark-infringement-31034753.html that Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A., the owners of the Trade Mark JOHNNY APPLESEED,  has objected to local man's, Colin Mackey, trade mark application to register JOHN APPLESEED (below) and as a consequence Mr.  Mackey has withdrawn the application and also changed the name of his [...]

We are delighted to announce the appointment of two new directors to MacLachlan & Donaldson. Carla MacLachlan has been with the firm since 1991 and works as a Trade Mark Attorney, specialising particularly in assisting local start-up businesses protecting their intellectual property. Carla has a background in marketing which makes her particularly suited to this role. [...]

It was announced on 13th November 2014 that a local division of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) will be established in Ireland when the State, as is hoped, ratifies the agreement for the establishment of the UPC.  The new Court will have exclusive competence in respect of European patents and European patents with unitary effect, and it [...]

The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has settled an action for passing off against two companies alleged to have issued official looking letters offering to renew patent and trade mark registrations for a fee significantly higher than the fee charged by the IPO. The two companies, Patent and Trade Mark Office and Patent and Trade [...]

Following up on our post in June this year on the CJEU decision (Karen Millen Fashions Ltd v Dunnes Stores, Dunnes Stores (Limerick) Ltd) in relation to how the so-called “individual character” of a design is to be assessed, the legal skirmish between the parties is now over after almost six years. The Supreme Court of Ireland [...]