Reading Time: 4 minutesIf you are a content creator based in Singapore, you may be interested to know about the amendments to the Copyright Act (CA). Effective from 21 November 2021, the new CA has caused a considerable change in the default ownership of copyright. This greatly affects content creators as they now have more ownership over their […]
Jonathan Foong, Managing Director of That.Legal LLC, on the past, present and future of That.Legal.
Reading Time: 5 minutesMr Jonathan Foong is the Managing Director of That.Legal LLC, a boutique law firm specialising in Intellectual Property (“IP”). He mainly handles non-contentious matters, which comprise two main areas. First, he looks after the IP portfolios of numerous clients (both local and foreign) – some of whom have trade marks, registered designs and/or patents in […]
Hong Kong: A blow to the giant – Adidas loses trademark battle against Shoe Branding Europe BVBA
Reading Time: 5 minutesIntroduction On 19 June 2019, The European Union General Court (the “General Court”) dismissed the appeal application filed by Adidas and upheld the decision of European Intellectual Property Office (“EUIPO”)’s Second Board of Appeal that, among other things, Adidas’ signature mark of parallel equidistant stripes lacks the distinctiveness required for it to be qualified for […]
Why was McDonald’s “BIG MAC” trade mark revoked in Europe?
Reading Time: 4 minutesIntroduction In the European Union Intellectual Property Office’s (“EUIPO”) decision in Supermac’s (Holdings) Ltd v McDonald’s International Property Company, Ltd dated 11 January 2019, the EUIPO revoked McDonald’s rights in respect of the trade mark “BIG MAC”. The reason for the decision was that McDonald’s had failed to provide sufficient evidence to the EUIPO to prove that […]
Cybersquatting in 2019 Series : New Challenges for Business
Reading Time: 6 minutesIn this series, we will look at the everchanging world of cybersquatting and how companies should be approaching the issue in 2019. Cybersquatting has been a problem for businesses since the nineties but, following a number of recent events, companies (and their customers) are more vulnerable than ever before. Take, for example, the introduction of […]
A Practical Guide to Registering Designs in Singapore
Reading Time: 6 minutesGreat designs provide great value. They attract customers, build loyalty and help increase market share. Given the importance of design in today’s world, understanding how to obtain proprietary rights over valuable designs can give you a serious leg up on the competition. What Are Registered Designs? Simply put, registering a design protects a product’s aesthetic […]
Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions answered by an Intellectual Property Lawyer
Reading Time: 6 minutesAsia Law Network sits down with Jeremiah Chew, an intellectual property and technology lawyer based in Singapore, to get his views on the top questions frequently asked about Intellectual Property. Jeremiah specializes in intellectual property, technology and competition law. He regularly advises on IP registration, licensing and transactions involving the sale and acquisition of IP […]
What do you need to know about the new Geographical Indications (GI) Registry?
Reading Time: 3 minutesOn 1 April 2019, Singapore’s Geographical Indications Rules 2019 will come into operation. The Rules, implementing the Geographical Indications Act 2014, create a new Registry of Geographical Indications administered by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) to enable producers of wines and spirits and of selected categories of agricultural products and foodstuffs, as well […]
Intellectual Property News: Cicada Cube Pte Ltd V National University Hospital (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Reading Time: 8 minutesIn a decision rendered by Singapore’s Court of Appeal, the highest court in Singapore clarified the position for joint ownership in contested patents. (A) Who are the parties involved in this case? (a) Cicada Cube Pte Ltd (“Appellant”, also referred to as Cicada) Cicada is a Singapore-incorporated software engineering company and is the registered proprietor of the […]
A Guide to protect your IP in Singapore (A Patent is not always the answer!)
Reading Time: 8 minutesIntellectual property (IP) can be an extremely valuable asset to your business – in fact, for some, it is the main asset driving their businesses. This is because owners of IP can exercise their rights to exclude competitors from using their IP or to exploit their IP commercially. While many businesses might be familiar with […]
Singapore Trade Marks – Intercontinental Exchange Holdings Loses Registration Of “BRENT” and “BRENT INDEX” Trade Marks After Successful Invalidation By Chicago Mercantile Exchange – Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. v Intercontinental Exchange Holdings, Inc. [2018] SGIPOS 20
Reading Time: 10 minutesIn a decision rendered by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (“IPOS”), it was held that the “BRENT” and “BRENT INDEX” trade marks registered by Intercontinental Exchange Holdings, Inc. is to be declared invalid as Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. successfully pleads all grounds of invalidity in their application. (A) Who are the parties involved in […]
Intellectual Property Commentary: The Lost Beat
Reading Time: 3 minutesBeats Electronics, LLC lost its opposition in Singapore against the registration of LG’s mark for “QuadBeat” applied for in Class 9 for various goods, including “Audio Receivers; Headphones; Earphones; Headphones with microphone function; Headsets”. In the opposition, Beats Electronics, LLC relied on nine of its registered trademarks, including the word “BEATS” for a range of […]