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
Signature Litigation—Catherine Naylor
International fraud and asset recovery offering boosted by partner hire
Stevens & Bolton—Alexa Payet
Private wealth disputes team adds contentious probate specialist
Morgan Lewis—Paul Feldberg
Firm strengthens investigations and sanctions capabilities with London partner hire
NEWS
Cheshire West, which established an ‘acid test’ for deprivation of liberty safeguards, has been overturned by the Supreme Court
The Chancery Division and other segments of the High Court are to be replaced by a new Business and Property Division (BPD), in a major civil justice shakeup
Law firms that hold client money will need to file annual accountants’ reports and make a declaration, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) confirmed this week
Two district judges and a tribunal judge have been sanctioned for delays in delivering judgments and orders
Private equity (PE) investment into UK law firms halved to £250m last year, but deal volume rose, according to research by Acquira Professional Services’ Momentum private equity market tracker
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