Implementing remote or home working makes complying with data protection requirements more difficult as increased volumes of personal data are stored electronically and transmitted online. Here are 5 points worth considering to help maintain compliance.

Joint ownership (also called co-ownership) of copyright may arise by operation of law in a variety of situations such as joint ventures, software development, artistic collaborations and shared research.

Post Brexit and during the transition period of the withdrawal agreement the GDPR will continue to apply in the UK.

With the increase in cloud computing, SaaS has become a widely adopted model for procuring software that would otherwise require investment in hardware, hosting and development. There are a number of important considerations for the customer buying access to the software when entering into a SaaS agreement.

Using cloud computing for services such as HR, backup and customer relationship management (CRM) is becoming increasingly common but before selecting a provider it is vital to ensure the service complies with the General Data Protection Regulation 2016 (GDPR). Probably the most significant barrier to compliance and one which should be a deal breaker for anyone purchasing cloud computing if not resolved arises when data is stored outside of the European Economic Area (EEA)

Trade mark registrations are not immune to challenge. Missing the opportunity to oppose an application for a trade mark before it is registered does not mean it is too late to take action because even after registration it can still be possible to cancel or have a registered trade mark declared invalid.

Amazon Brand Registry was established to provide additional powers to prevent your competitors selling products using a similar name on Amazon. It provides enhanced search facilities to allow you to discover potential infringers and will proactively warn against suspected infringing listings.

Using images online without permission is not as prevalent as you might think, purely because the law offers image owners substantial protection against theft, unauthorised use, or copyright infringement. Copyright applies to photographs, drawings, digital designs and even video content. As long as you can prove the image belongs to you, nobody has the right to use it without your expressed permission.

The definition of intellectual property is: ‘any type of intangible property that is a result of creativity’. This covers designs, logos, and artistic or literary, works as well as inventions. If you suspect another person or business of infringing on your intellectual property, you could take legal action.

The Intellectual Property Office will usually send the owner of a registered trade mark a letter giving notice that an application has been received for the registration of a similar trade mark. This is usually the first they will have heard of the competitor.

We are often asked if businesses need to ask their existing contacts to opt-in to receive marketing communications again once the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force in May 2018. This an important decision, the consequences for getting it wrong can include reputational damage and significant fines by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

There are some common myths around the ability of a limited company to prevent competitors using its name. Often we are approached by frustrated businesses who have discovered someone else has been using their name but have no registered trade mark. They ask what protection their registered company name offers. Sadly the answer is almost nothing.