Joint Head of Intellectual Property and Dispute Resolution, Matthew Harris was recently interviewed by Bloomberg BNA about the English High Court’s judgment in Yoyo.email Ltd v Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc & Ors [2015] EWHC 3509 regarding Yoyo.email’s registration of four domain names.
The interview was prompted by English court’s decision to strike out Yoyo.email’s attempted “appeal” against a 2014 Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) decision in which the panel had held the domain names should be transferred to RBS. The court also found in favour of RBS’s counterclaim that by registering those domain names, Yoyo.email was liable to RBS under the English law of passing off.
Matthew told Bloomberg BNA that the High Court’s decision demonstrated that English courts, “are likely to take a robust stance in cases in which a domain name has been intentionally registered because it incorporates the trademark of another person.” He went on to highlight the importance of carefully considering the potential jurisdictional consequences of deciding to initiating proceeding under the URS (Uniform Rapid Suspension) or UDRP.
In an increasingly competitive market where innovation, aesthetics, and brand identity are critical assets UK businesses must take a strategic approach to intellectual property (IP) protection. Whether you’re a fashion brand, tech firm, or start-up, building and maintaining a strong IP portfolio is essential for long-term value and commercial success.
Generative AI represents a new frontier in fashion innovation but it also challenges conventional notions of creativity, ownership, and protection. As the law catches up, designers, tech firms, and brands must proactively engage with and stay on top of the changes. Whether it’s securing copyright, registering designs, or navigating patents, a specialist AI London Solicitor or IP London Solicitor can help turn AI built fashion into a legally protected asset.
As the digital fashion industry booms alongside the rise of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), questions around intellectual property (IP) ownership, licensing, and legal enforcement are more pressing than ever. Digital garments at first only used in the gaming sphere are now traded on blockchain platforms, worn in virtual environments, and even showcased on social media and virtual runways. With this evolution comes the need for legal clarity, especially for designers, platforms, and consumers based in the UK.
In a report published last week, the Tony Blair Institute urged the UK to relax…