header-logo header-logo

16 May 2016 / Emily McClure , Alastair Shaw
Issue: 7699 / Categories: Features , Intellectual property
printer mail-detail

A hard case

nlj_7699_mcclure

The Supreme Court rules on European design law for first time, Alastair Shaw & Emily McClure report

The Trunki range of ride-on suitcases for young children has been enormously successful since they were first marketed in 2004. Magmatic Ltd (Magmatic), the owners of the registered Community design for the Trunki ride-on suitcase (the Trunki RCD), estimate that in 2011 approximately 20% of all three to six year olds in the UK had one.

PMS International Ltd (PMS), a manufacturer in the discount toy sector of the market, recognised the Trunki's qualities and also spotted a potential gap in the market for a discount version. In 2012, PMS started to sell their own range of ride-on suitcases, which they called the Kiddee Case.

High Court decision 

Magmatic sued PMS for infringement of the Trunki RCD, as well as for infringement of its unregistered design rights in the Trunki design, and copyright in the artwork for its packaging.

In July 2013, the High Court ruled that the Kiddee Case did infringe the Trunki

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Womble Bond Dickinson—Paula Myers

Womble Bond Dickinson—Paula Myers

Womble Bond Dickinson appoints Paula Myers to private capital team in Leeds

mfg Solicitors—five promotions

mfg Solicitors—five promotions

Law firm mfg Solicitors announces five promotions at Birmingham office

Brabners—six promotions

Brabners—six promotions

Brabners adds six to partnership in record year for partner promotions

NEWS
Calls to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 have been renewed, with the Bar Council arguing the current threshold criminalises children too early and risks pushing them towards lifelong offending
The legal profession's AI challenge extends far beyond fabricated case citations, according to a warning about the next phase of technological risk
Law firms should use the transition period before the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumes anti-money laundering (AML) supervision to strengthen governance and compliance, experts have warned
Cross-border disputes increasingly demand creative approaches to gathering evidence, with litigators needing to look beyond traditional letters of request
A Court of Appeal ruling has clarified the distinction between contracts of 'indefinite' and 'perpetual' duration, with potentially significant implications for commercial drafting
back-to-top-scroll