Brand management and protection

Our leading brand management and protection practice is renowned at both a domestic and international level. It forms a substantial part of the firm’s broader IP, IT and commercial offering, providing clients with the full range of brand management and protection services – from brand and design clearance, development and registration, through to enforcement, licensing and divestment.

Trusted worldwide for high quality advice

The practice supports an extensive domestic and international client base across all sectors and industries, ranging from retail, food and beverage and professional services through to education, charities and biotech, with a particular focus on fashion and luxury brands. It is a testament to the technical excellence and quality of our lawyers that many of our instructions originate from in-house or overseas legal counsel. Our cross-office team’s expertise is also recognised in leading legal directories such as The Legal 500, Chambers UK and World Trademark Review 1000.

Our reach and technical capabilities are further enhanced by the firm’s international footprint and its active participation in Multilaw, a top-ranked global network of independent law firms, enabling us to gain immediate access to specialist local advice and knowhow on behalf of our clients worldwide.

Members of our team, who work in a range of languages including French, Spanish, German, Romanian and Japanese, regularly write articles for leading publications such as CITMA Review; give talks and presentations on brand management and protection issues (including on Brexit at the World Intellectual Property Organization); and participate in brands-focused international conferences and events such as INTA, AIPPI, PTMG, IBA, MARQUES and ECTA.

What set them apart for me was their understanding of our business needs and desired outcomes, as well as their ability to deliver tailored and dynamic legal strategies at each stage.

Our lawyers subscribe to and use the latest tools and technologies to ensure effective portfolio management and up-to-date advice. We have a particular expertise in complex, cross-border brand protection and enforcement matters and take pride in providing clients with tailored, commercial advice that matches their specific needs.
Following Brexit, in addition to providing UK advice, we continue to offer clients comprehensive EU brand management and protection services via the firm’s European offices.

How we help our clients

Global trade mark and design clearance, registration, maintenance and enforcement

Dispute resolution involving trade marks, passing off and other related rights

Registry opposition and cancellation proceedings

Registry formalities and recordals

Brand co-existence and settlement agreements

Anti-counterfeiting and enforcement programmes, including criminal prosecutions and working with customs

Take down procedures on e-commerce and social media platforms

Domain registration, recovery and transfer (including through Nominet and WIPO UDRP)

Copyright, ‘image rights’ and reputation management

Brand audits and due diligence

Brand acquisitions, transfers, licensing, collaboration, endorsement, sponsorship,

Franchising and distribution arrangements

Useful resources

Doing business in the UK

The team at Penningtons Manches Cooper are approachable, responsive and always willing to go the extra mile. Their extensive knowledge and practical approach, especially in cross-border and multi-jurisdictional matters, is truly impressive.

They are excellent technically and have great commercial awareness.

Penningtons provides high quality prosecution and infringement advice. They are always considering the real world consequences of filing decisions and how filing strategies can be employed in infringement disputes.

Penningtons’ team has extensive experience in both contentious and non-contentious sides… The team is very proactive and also has deep technical knowledge, and that is where they win.

Recent work highlights

US restaurant brand expansion

Advising a well-known US-based restaurant chain on its brand protection and enforcement strategy upon entering, and significantly expanding its operations in, the UK and European Union.

Motorsports team brand protection

Acting for a major UK motorsports team on a wide range of brand protection and enforcement matters, including an extensive global re-registration programme and new filings for a heritage brand.

Global accounting IP strategy

Advising a global professional accounting body on its international IP portfolio, including trade marks and domain names, as well as its IP litigation and brand protection actions worldwide.

Consumer product IP enforcement

Advising an international consumer product manufacturer on IP enforcement and online brand management.

Baby food brand management

Managing the global IP portfolio for a leading baby and child food brand, including all trade mark oppositions and infringement actions.

Telecoms IP portfolio guidance

Advising a large telecoms and cloud communications provider on all IP issues, including its trade mark portfolio and enforcement activities.

Legal network global rebrand

Advising on an international legal network’s rebrand and filing of new trade mark applications in multiple territories around the world.

R&D agency IP advisory

Representing a UK R&D funding agency, sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, on IP matters, including grant funding agreements, R&D contracts, clinical trials regulations, and trade mark filings.

Animal charity rebranding strategy

Providing strategic advice to one of the UK’s largest animal welfare charities, a long-standing client, on its extensive rebranding project, assessing the implications for its existing trade mark portfolio and filing new trade mark applications to safeguard its rights.

Sustainability label certification marks

Acting for a globally recognised sustainability label renowned for its commitment to environmental preservation and ethical practices, advising on its applications for UK certification marks, a process that guarantees third party products and services meet specific standards.

K-pop trade mark portfolios

Assisting a leading South Korean entertainment company with registration and enforcement of the UK and EU trade mark portfolios of globally successful K-pop acts.

Fashion IP rights protection

Assisting a wide range of UK-based fashion companies with the enforcement, consolidation, and protection of their domestic and international intellectual property rights.