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UK IP weekly update: trade mark clarity (Thom Browne v Adidas), SPC for cladribine refused, IPO AI patent guidance, employee invention ownership, WIPO–ESIC esports tribunal—30 January 2025

Published on: 30 January 2025

Published by a LexisNexis IP expert
Legal News
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In this issue:

  • Trade marks/passing off
  • Patents
  • General IP
  • Daily and weekly news alerts
  • New and updated content
  • Dates for your diary
  • Trackers
  • Useful information

Trade marks/passing off

The importance of a clear and precise trade mark description—invalidity actions against ‘three stripes’ trade marks (Thom Browne v Adidas)

In Thom Browne Inc v Adidas Ag [2024] EWHC 2990 (Ch), Thom Browne sought to invalidate 16 UK trade mark registrations owned by Adidas, each comprising the ‘three stripes’ motif. Adidas responded with a counterclaim alleging that Thom Browne’s four‑stripe design infringed those registrations and also advanced passing off. The invalidity case asserted the Adidas entries were unclear, lacking precision and inconsistent, such that they did not amount to ‘signs’ under section 1(1) of the Trade Marks Act 1994; they were further said to be non‑distinctive and vulnerable to revocation for non‑use. The dispute serves as a firm reminder that a trade mark filing must contain a clear, precise description, even if that results in a narrowly interpreted scope of protection. Authored by Helene Whelbourn, legal director at Lee & Thompson LLP. See News Analysis: The importance of a clear and precise trade mark description—invalidity actions...

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