We now have confirmation that the restructure of the Channel Islands Stock Exchange (CISX) by way of a scheme of arrangement was approved by the Royal Court in Guernsey last Friday. The scheme of arrangement designates the new Channel Islands Securities Exchange Authority (CISE) as the operator of an investment exchange authorised by the Guernsey […]
A new customs regulation came into effect on 1 January 2014, which strengthens the powers of customs officials to detain suspected counterfeit and pirated goods at EU borders. It also introduces a new procedure for the treatment of ‘small consignments’. There are important differences from the previous regime, which rights holders need to be aware of. […]
Businesses do not always apply to patent their inventions. They may consider the cost to be prohibitive and trust their ability to keep the invention secret. Alternatively, they may consider technological developments in their sector to be so fast moving that there is no point in patenting. Or reliance may be placed on other intellectual […]
Colours can be registered as trademarks. Under the Trade Marks Act 1994 and the Community Trade Mark Regulation, any sign that can be represented graphically and that is capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one undertaking from those of another is prima facie registrable as a trademark. For example, Heinz has successfully registered the […]
It is not just cycling enthusiasts that are counting the days until the Tour de France rolls into Yorkshire this summer. Local retailers are eagerly anticipating the arrival of thousands of potential new customers and it is already common knowledge that hoteliers have upped their prices. However, businesses looking to cash in on the Tour need […]
The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court — formerly the Patents County Court — has ruled that a UK registered design for a beer glass was valid and infringed by the defendants’ glass. It also found that the unregistered design right in the design was infringed by one of the rival’s design features. Registered designs — governed by the Registered […]
In December 2013, the Polish parliament passed a governmental bill to reform the private pension fund sector in Poland despite receiving strong criticism from many economists and experts and ignoring warnings that that the bill could breach the Polish constitution. Even though the constitutionality of the bill will be examined by the Polish Constitutional Tribunal, […]
Pinsent Masons spent £20.6m on its merger with Scottish firm McGrigors in 2012 and members injected £10m before the tie up, according to accounts filed with Companies House. The firm took in £17.1m as a direct result of the merger (19 January 2012), incurring £2.5m as a result of “reorganising, restructuring and integrating the acquisition […]
Dickinson Dees’ final-year profits were dented by an exceptional cost of £728,000 attributable to the firm’s May 2013 merger with Bond Pearce, LLP accounts have revealed. The firm’s turnover rose by 3.3 per cent between 2011/12 and 2012/13, from £45.8m to £47.3m. Meanwhile net profit dropped by 8.3 per cent, from £11.8m to £10.8m, once […]
TLT has lost an equity partner and two lawyers from its City corporate team to DWF. Corporate partner Richard Tall left TLT last Friday (31 January) along with associates Joe Cobley and Caroline Urban. The team, which started at DWF on Monday (3 February), is thought to have generated around 10 per cent of TLT’s […]
It was all chums together in the colonial-esque environs of the Landmark Hotel yesterday as DLA Piper’s new “streamlined” global management team, including those from the US side of the business, showed its collective happy face for the first time. Yesterday the firm confirmed that it is planning a leadership shake-up next year, with co-CEO […]
Pre nups are big news, but will the Law Commission’s recommendations clarify the law? The Law Commission is expected to produce recommendations later this month to bring about some reform to financial provision on divorce. The original project dealt with “marital agreements”, in the main pre or post nuptial contracts (or agreements between civil partners […]