The Intellectual Property (Unjustified Threats) Act 2017 was one of the final Bills to receive Royal Assent this week before the dissolution of Parliament. The Act aims to tackle game-playing by intellectual property rights holders, which may distort competition or stifle innovation. In particular, it relates to ‘groundless threats’ of intellectual property infringement proceedings, introducing a two-part test for a groundless threat, provides guidance on ‘safe harbour’ communications with secondary infringers and introduces a ‘reasonable steps’ defence.
04 May 2017
The Intellectual Property (Unjustified Threats) Act 2017
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Penningtons Manches Cooper—Jean-François Le Gal
Penningtons Manches Cooper strengthens international disputes team with appointment of leading arbitration partner
Shakespeare Martineau—Aaron Sanders & Kate Saunders
Shakespeare Martineau strengthens trust and estates disputes team with new appointments
Bellevue Law—Shannon Moore
Bellevue Law strengthens employment disputes and international advisory capability with senior associate appointment
NEWS
A divorced woman has secured funding to participate in her former husband’s inquest after the Legal Aid Agency reconsidered repeated refusals
More than 500 former rugby players can pursue brain injury claims despite serious failures to disclose documents ordered by the High Court
Developers in areas with poorly performing councils can apply directly to the Planning Inspectorate for permission under section 62A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990
When does a solicitor’s retainer become a contentious business agreement? The Court of Appeal’s decision in Broadfield Law UK LLP v Barnes shows that listing hourly rates alone will not do, leaving firms and clients uncertain about their rights over bills
MPs cannot simply resign their Commons seats. Instead, they take a nominal Crown office, usually the Chiltern Hundreds or Manor of Northstead, which disqualifies them from sitting
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