Our lawyers have extensive experience in protecting brands, designs, copyrights, databases, domain names and related rights. We work closely with clients across a range of industry sectors including consumer products, fashion, finance, hotels and leisure, media and pharmaceuticals.

Acting for leading UK and global brands, our team advises on everything from trade mark infringement and passing off claims through to software copyright, design protection and enforcement and online infringements. We also deal with the increasingly complex areas of database management and digital rights management. As a result of the global nature of IP rights and disputes, we have built up an impressive team of international specialists and regularly take the lead role in cases across multiple jurisdictions.

We have represented clients in all forums, ranging from trade mark opposition proceedings before the UK Intellectual Property Office and EUIPO through to litigation in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, the Patents Court, the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the Court of Justice in Luxembourg, as well as before the Copyright Tribunal.

Complementing this deep understanding of the UK and European courts, we recognise the importance of alternative dispute resolution methods. In addition to handling mediation and arbitration proceedings (with several partners acting as qualified Mediators), our lawyers routinely advise clients in relation to complaints made to the Advertising Standards Authority and other industry-specific regulatory bodies. Our team includes a large number of lawyers with specialist knowledge of advertising regulation in a number of key client sectors.

Key contacts

Paul Jordan

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Jeremy Blum

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Simon Clark

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Experience

Representing Cadbury (Mondelez) before the Court of Justice of the European Union in the dispute about the registrability as a trade mark of the shape of the KitKat chocolate bar. In this high-profile dispute, the Court of Justice agreed with our arguments concerning the appropriate legal test to be applied by trade mark offices, and confirmed the Board of Appeal’s view that the evidence presented by Nestlé did not show that the trade mark had acquired a distinctive character in the entirety of the EU.

Successfully defending commercial insurer/reinsurer Fidelis in trade mark infringement and passing off proceedings brought in the High Court by Fidelity. The Court held that there was no likelihood of confusion between the marks (hence the win for Fidelis). Fidelis also succeeded on two of its counterclaims, leading to the partial revocation of Fidelity’s trade marks. Fidelis also attacked the validity of Fidelity’s trade marks on the basis that they had applied for registration of the Fidelity mark in bad faith (no intention to use across the whole of the specification) and that term “financial services” lacked clarity and precision). These counterclaims were deemed arguable, pending the High Court’s reference to the CJEU in Sky v SkyKick.

Representing one of the world’s leading gaming software developers, Blizzard Entertainment, in a High Court claim against Bossland and other defendants who develop, promote and sell “cheats” and “bots” for users of Blizzard’s games. We obtained an interim injunction against the defendants in this case – the first claim in the UK against entities in the gaming “cheats/bots” sector – and represented the client in account of profits proceedings.

Successfully defending high-end kitchen company DeVol in High Court design infringement proceedings brought by competitor Neptune. In this case relating to the design of kitchen units, the Court rejected all of Neptune’s infringement claims.

Successfully defending Dutch clothing company Verweij Fashion in High Court trade mark infringement proceedings relating to the trade mark GIORDANO.  The claimants’ infringement claims were rejected by the Court and our client’s counterclaim for passing off was successful.

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What others say

“Bristows is a class act when it comes to all areas of intellectual property. Its team bring a broad range of experience and are always on hand to answer questions; they are very responsive and highly skilled.”

WTR 1000 2024

“Bristows has a widely experienced team providing support to their clients on complex matters. Their ability to provide support on sophisticated matters is exquisite.”

Chambers and Partners 2024

“They are knowledgeable and up to date with the fast-changing laws related to social media and the various platforms, and able to appropriately and adeptly guide clients in this industry.”

Chambers and Partners 2024

“They run their cases like a boutique firm, but with the resources and strategic thinking of a larger firm. Their approach is continuously mindful of the specific needs of the case.”

Legal 500 2024

“They’re very commercial and good at dealing with clients.”

Chambers and Partners 2023

“Bristows has really good practitioners of patent litigation and trade mark work.”

Chambers and Partners 2023

“The Bristows team is extremely capable at balancing competing factors.”

Chambers and Partners 2023

“Bristows provides very strong and pragmatic advice founded on a deep understanding of the life sciences sector.”

Chambers and Partners 2023

“Bristows is known for its deep bench of high-calibre litigators with supreme expertise in contentious patent, trade mark, designs and copyright matters. The team is particularly sought after for biosimilars and telecommunications litigation, and is frequently instructed for standard-essential patent-related disputes. The Bristows IP team is also distinguished for its work on the commercialisation of IP at the vanguard of life sciences and technology, and is additionally recommended for its trade mark prosecution service.”

Chambers and Partners 2023

“Excellent knowledge of trade mark law and how that applies to practical commercial situations.”

Legal 500 2023

“The team has demonstrable capability across a range of sectors, including the publishing, food and beverage, health, hospitality, fashion and retail industries.”

Legal 500 2023

“Well-placed to leverage the firm’s international footprint when acting in multi-jurisdictional disputes.”

Legal 500 2023

“Bristows LLP’s fully integrated team of attorneys and solicitors handles the full range of trade mark mandates, from brand creation with clearance searches to brand protection and global portfolio management, as well as opposition proceedings before the UKIPO and cancellation actions.”

Legal 500 2023

“With their wealth of experience, most questions can be handled with a quick call.”

Legal 500 2023

“I value the practical nature of the advice the team gives.”

Legal 500 2023

“The media and entertainment team at Bristows combines the best of in-depth practice area knowledge with pragmatic, client-focused advice. They are a fantastic extension of our in-house legal team, and whenever I reach out to them, it always makes life easier.”

Legal 500 2023

“A renowned expert on issues arising around advertising and brand protection.”

Legal 500 2023

“The practice at Bristows LLP rests firmly on its pillars of advertising, brand protection, and film/TV production where it represents clients from these sub-sectors in both contentious and non-contentious matters.”

Legal 500 2023

“Overall very pragmatic and knowledgeable.”

Legal 500 2023

“The practice has developed probably unequalled experience, notably in specific questions of IP law, such as litigating three-dimensional trade marks in different jurisdictions.”

Legal 500 2023

“Excellent overall.”

Legal 500 2023

“The intellectual property practice at Bristows LLP has one of the broadest trade mark, copyright, and designs practices, which is praised for its ‘perfect combination of legal knowledge, commercial savvy, and litigation strategy’.”

Legal 500 2023

“Bristows is a unique top-tier law firm for IP work in the UK.”

MIP IP Stars 2022

“It was the expertise on hand at Bristows that made them a go-to firm for me. I like that they are the kind of people I can pick up the phone to and have conversations on strategy. They work hard to understand the client’s business.”

Chambers and Partners 2022

“A perfect combination of legal and technical expertise.”

Chambers and Partners 2022

“There is pragmatism to the advice you get from Bristows and an efficiency to the way they work; they are great problem solvers.”

Chambers and Partners 2022

“They know how judges are likely to react, are good at negotiating and know the industry well.”

Chambers and Partners 2022

“They are proactively collaborative and clear communicators.”

Chambers and Partners 2022

“Built on relationships and expertise gained over decades working at the cutting edge of brands and technology, the team excels where others falter.”

Legal 500 2022

“Their associates are second to none.”

Legal 500 2022

Recent rankings and awards

Outstanding

Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation (UK) - Band 1

Gold - Enforcement and litigation

Gold - Prosecution and strategy

Intellectual Property - Band 1

Intellectual Property: Law Firms with Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys (Spotlight)

Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design - Tier 1

Copyright - Tier 1

Trade Mark Disputes - Tier 1

Trade Mark Prosecution - Tier 1

Best Firm for Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property - Band 1

Intellectual Property: Trade Marks, Copyright and Design - Tier 1

Media and Entertainment - Tier 2

PATMA: Trade Mark Attorneys - Tier 2

Intellectual Property - Band 1

Technology Sector (International & Cross-border) - Band 1

Trade Mark Prosecution - Tier 1

Trade Mark Contentious - Tier 1

Copyright - Tier 1

Gold

Brand Management - Tier 1

UK Trademark Contentious

UK Trade Mark Law Firm of the Year

Trademark Litigation

Trademark Prosecution

UK Design Firm of the Year

UK Trade Mark Litigation Firm of the Year