The UPC Central Division confirms the EPO’s approach to inventive step, highlighting the importance of identifying realistic starting points and applying a holistic assessment.
After 1 January 2026, brand owners can no longer rely on EU use to maintain comparable UK trade marks. Genuine UK use will be required to defend and enforce registrations.
As Managing Partner at Boult, Howard Sands leads with strategic insight and technical expertise, specialising in software and business method patents that drive innovation forward.
Our London workspace, designed by Oktra, features collaboration zones, quiet areas, and a stained-glass-inspired wall – putting wellbeing and flexibility at the heart of the office.
From $400 Rubyglow® pineapples to patented pineberries, luxury fruits are redefining IP in food. Learn how patents, plant variety rights and trade marks protect “designer” fruit innovation.
Boult’s team meets talented students across the UK, raising awareness of careers in intellectual property and encouraging STEM and legal minds to shape the future of innovation.
From B-Corp certified Thrive in London to Fairtrade beans in Reading and ethical small-batch roasters in Cambridge, Boult prioritises great coffee with a lighter footprint.
Can using a designer’s name mislead consumers? Not always. AG says only clear, intentional misuse risks trade mark revocation in the PMJC v Castelbajac fashion law clash.
With the UPC gaining traction, challengers now weigh EPO oppositions alongside UPC revocations. Parallel proceedings offer tactical advantages to pressure patentees and boost invalidation success.
In Washtower v BEGA, the UPC applied the Plant-e equivalence test to grant a preliminary injunction, showing its willingness to find likely infringement beyond literal claim scope.
