Intellectual property and the protection of reputation

Rogers and Norton's Intellectual Property team deals with a wide range of contentious and non-contentious issues arising in connection with Intellectual Property rights.

On the non-contentious side dealt with by Richard Etheridge and Lauren Coleman this can be a significant aspect of the negotiation and drafting of business acquisitions and sales, joint ventures and partnerships and other corporate and commercial documentation as well as contracts specifically for the exploitation of Intellectual Property rights.

On the contentious side John Cadywould began his long professional career at a specialist London media practice where he had wide ranging experience of dealing with disputes involving intellectual property infringement and the protection of reputation, both personal and business related.

He has dealt with disputes concerning copyright, design right and trademark infringement and common law passing off, as well as confidential information and non – competition litigation both in the context of employment and commercial conflicts. This has included a number of urgent injunctive cases both with and without prior notice to the Defendant, including evidence protection and asset freezing orders.

He has substantial experience of dealing with copyright infringement cases concerning business literature where the copyright issue is the legal lever in a wider business dispute about product or employee poaching. This has included the successful defence of contempt of Court proceedings arising from the alleged breach of undertakings given to the Court about the content of “similar” business literature.

He has also acted in connection with defamation and malicious falsehood or trade libel issues – again frequently in the context of wider business disputes where one party is said to be undermining the other's brand, products or services. He also has experience of defamation cases for individuals involving press misreporting of tribunal proceedings or other events including acting under a Conditional Fee Agreement (or “no win no fee” arrangement).

Areas of infringement covered-

• Copyright
• Design right
• Registered designs
• Registered trade marks
• Passing off / unregistered trade marks
• Confidential information/ trade secrets/ restrictive covenants
• Defamation / trade libel

• Company and Commercial
• Dispute Resolution