Intellectual Property
The interface between Intellectual Property rights and competition policy is one of the most important and difficult areas of commercial EU Law. The exploitation of exclusive rights can conflict with Competition Law, which aims to preserve competition as the driving force in efficient markets. Outside the field of competition law, the Trade Marks Directive has given rise to disputes on subjects ranging from the international exhaustion of rights to the use of competitors marks in advertising.
Members of Brick Court Chambers have experience in dealing with these issues across many industry sectors. We work closely with Intellectual Property lawyers on major disputes, often complementing existing teams. Our Intellectual Property experience encompasses a wide range of sectors. Most recently, we have argued cases in the areas of telecoms, pharmaceuticals, media and broadcasting, tobacco, internet, publishing and sports.
Recent cases of note include:
- L'Oreal v Bellure (ECJ)
- Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson v Samsung (High Court, Chancery Division)
- Glaxo v Dowelhurst (ECJ and Court of Appeal)
- Qualcomm v Nokia (High Court, Chancery Division)
