Trade Mark, Designs and Copyright
Trade mark, designs and copyright protection is critical to the creativity, innovation and investment that go into developing brands. Allen & Overy’s market-leading team helps today’s leading businesses to protect these significant company assets.
More than ever, the world’s top businesses need a strategic and coordinated global approach to Intellectual Property. Our pre-eminent global team has worked on some of the most complex, high-profile and often precedent-setting trade mark, designs and copyright cases of recent times.
Implementing and executing effective global dispute resolution strategies to defend brands is a key part of our expertise. We act for some of the world’s most valuable brands, devising litigation strategies that are effective at all levels of the relevant courts and tribunals.
Explore our services
Meet our lawyers
Our experience
Warner Bros
in EU-wide trade mark infringement proceedings commenced in the Brussels Commercial Court, and in two sets of parallel invalidity proceedings before the EUIPO.
Nintendo
as their main adviser in France, on a day-to-day basis, on the enforcement of all aspects of its anti-piracy policy in France. Most notably, we advised on its efforts to prohibit the sale of devices designed to circumvent the technical measures protecting the Nintendo consoles, infringing their copyright and trade marks.
SC Johnson
the maker of well-known brands such as Mr Muscle, Autan, Glade, Raid and Off! on all aspects of its trade marks, product designs and advertising/unfair competition work across a number of European jurisdictions.
A global pharmaceutical company
on successful arguments for the registration of its trade mark for the distinctive shape of one of its products in the Czech Republic.
News and insights
Publications: 08 December 2022
Intellectual property - European Commission’s proposed changes to the EU designs regime
On 28 November 2022, the European Commission published proposals to revise the EU designs regime through a new Regulation (EC) 6/2002 and Directive (98/71/EC). The stated aims are to make the system…
Publications: 07 December 2022
IP rights in football: Avoiding an own-goal
As the 2022 World Cup final approaches, we explore the importance of IP rights in the beautiful game, as well as some potential "fouls" that clubs, footballers and even fans need to avoid.
Blog Post: 29 November 2022
Parallel imports of repackaged medicinal products – when can brand owners oppose?
Three cases handed down on 17 November 2022 by the EU’s highest court shed important light on the ability of brand owners to oppose the repackaging of medicinal products, particularly where…
Publications: 11 October 2022
High Court grants short-term interim injunction in unregistered design case: Leighton Vans v Harris
The High Court has granted a short-term interim injunction to prevent the alleged infringement of unregistered designs covering bumpers (fenders) for VW Transporter vans. In doing so it has provided…
Awards and accolades
- Winner: Copyright & Design Firm of the Year – France, Managing IP EMEA Awards 2020
Recognition of our work
Allen & Overy is not just an able running mate to world-leading brands but a strategic pacesetter.
WTR 1000 International 2020
Allen & Overy was the first UK-based firm to open in Bratislava and now it is one of, if not the most specialised in intellectual property in Slovakia.
WTR 1000 2020
Related content
Intellectual property brochure
Digital maturity
Life Sciences Hub
A&O Digital Hub