News
All the latest news and views.
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Fast Fashion: EU-wide
July 2018
Reducing the time it takes to get new fashion lines to customers is key to maintaining a commercial advantage. The traditional 6-month lead time on new stock is now often closer to 3 months. Some brands such as Public Desire have told how they have sourced materials, produced and promoted footwear in a 6-week timeframe in order to be on people’s feet first. Such “fast fashion” is characterised by very rapid production cycles, low cost and is often inspired by the catwalks or celebrities.
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ICO issues interim findings in Facebook investigation
July 2018
Alongside all the excitement in the run-up to the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), data protection was also in the news following revelations around Cambridge Analytica’s harvesting of Facebook user’s Personal Data and the impact on elections.
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“Link tax” – a boost for artists or a threat to the internet as we know it?
July 2018
The EU Copyright Directive is intended to bring rules around content in line with the digital age. The proposed new rules have ignited a battle between the likes of Google, Facebook and YouTube and owners/creators of content. Article 11 and Article 13 are the two most controversial parts of the Directive.
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Junk Food Ad Battle is Heating Up
July 2018
The Advertising Standards Agency has today published three decisions against food manufacturers in respect of advertisements which have been held to breach the CAP Code. The ASA has warned advertisers not to take “easy options” when advertising high fat, salt and sugar (“HFSS”) products to under 16’s.
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Switching a swoosh for a square: keep you eye on the ball
July 2018
The summer in the UK has arrived with Wimbledon in full swing for the next two weeks (thankfully hand-in-hand with some sunshine for a change!) however, the score appeared to be low on the agenda when it came to Roger Federer’s match against Serbia’s Lajovic on Monday. Twitter went into turmoil not only regarding the Swiss nationals ninth win at Wimbledon, but on his choice of attire.
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HGF acts in successful invalidity action for Love Music Hate Racism
July 2018
HGF has acted successfully for Love Music Hate Racism Ltd (LMHR) in its attempt to cancel a trade mark registered by one of its associated merchandising suppliers. In a decision handed down on 1st June 2018, the UK Intellectual Property Office has declared that a registration of the mark Love Music Hate Racism belonging to Mr Chetan Patel was made in bad faith. The UKIPO has declared Mr Patel’s registration invalid. The Office has also dismissed an opposition by Mr Patel to a trade mark application for LOVE MUSIC HATE RACISM made by LMHR.
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"Protecting greatness" FutureNorth - Distributed with The Times
June 2018
Kate Taylor discusses empowering women at work in The Life Sciences Edition of FutureNorth, distributed in The Times.
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IAM Patent 1000
June 2018
The IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Professionals 2018 guide has now been published. HGF has 10 attorneys published within the Patent 1000. HGF are also listed as Recommended firm within the guide.
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Website blocking orders and trade mark infringement
June 2018
Internet service providers (“ISPs”) should not pay the costs of implementing website blocking orders in relation to trade mark infringements, the Supreme Court has ruled in Cartier International AG and others v British Telecommunications Plc and another [2018] UKSC 28.
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International registration of industrial designs
June 2018
From 13 June 2018, the UK officially joins the Hague Agreement for the international registration of designs. The Hague Agreement allows applicants to register a design in any one of the 67 contracting parties through a single application, covering up to 82 countries in total, without the need to file individual, national applications.
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