WIPR Insights is pleased to announce its first UK Trademarks Rankings of leading firms and practitioners.
A key theme of the research was the growing indistinction between trademark attorneys and lawyers. While historically the divide was more explicit, attorneys and lawyers both report the diversity of firms acting opposite them in trademark matters. The table reflects this, featuring traditional full-service law firms, boutique IP specialists and attorney firms.
A number of individuals listed are dual-qualified as both an attorney and solicitor, and many attorneys specialise in contentious registry matters or have enhanced litigation rights before the UK courts, further blurring the lines between the two professions.
Brand owners in the UK are facing ongoing challenges as the effects of Brexit linger and unregulated representatives, often from China, dominate the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO).
In 2023, the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA) raised an eyebrow at the top trademark filing representatives in the UK, as unregulated Chinese entities took first and third place, with Stobbs IP as the only legitimate representative in the top three. Firms report the delays caused and additional costs to clients and, alongside CITMA, have urged the UKIPO to investigate the problem.
Firms are keenly aware of developing technology and internally are developing tools to streamline processes, including Simmons & Simmons which has created an AI trademark lawyer, Rocketeer.
Externally, firms are becoming more familiar with clients in AI, NFTs, the Metaverse and Cryptocurrency. Increasingly, the market is seeing non-technology clients looking for protection and potentially planning to enter the digital asset spaces.
Arguably the most mentioned case of the year was the Sky v Skykick matter, the result of which could change the playing field for brands registering trademarks in broad goods and services. The seven-year long case reached the Supreme Court in July to determine whether the broadcaster’s monopoly on the word SKY in multiple categories can be considered bad faith. Sky is represented by Mishcon de Reya, and Skykick, a cloud software company, is represented by Fieldfisher. The matter continued into 2024.
