UK to reform threats provisions
Managing IP is part of the Delinian Group, Delinian Limited, 4 Bouverie Street, London, EC4Y 8AX, Registered in England & Wales, Company number 00954730
Copyright © Delinian Limited and its affiliated companies 2023

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

UK to reform threats provisions

The UK government has broadly accepted proposals by the Law Commission to reform the law concerning threats of IP infringement

The Commission made 18 proposals, including permitting legitimate communication with secondary actors using safe harbour provisions; simplifying acts that can be referred to when approaching prospective defendants; and removing liability for professional advisers when acting on clients instructions.

Under existing laws, IP owners can be sued for making “groundless threats” when communicating with potential infringers.

The measures have long been criticised as inconsistent, complicated and out of step with measures to promote settlements.

The Law Society’s IP Law Committee, led by Isabel Davies and Robin Fry, has been working on the issue for nine years. In a statement, the Law Society welcomed the government’s announcement.

Separately, the Law Society is inviting applications to join the IP Law Committee, which has four vacancies for non-Council members. Interviews will be held on April 21 and April 30.

The deadline for applications is 17.00 on March 19.

Committee members are paid travel and subsistence expenses and an annual incidental expenses allowance.

more from across site and ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Firms explain how monitoring, referrals and relationships with foreign firms helped them get more work at the TTAB
Luke Toft explains why he moved back to Fox Rothschild after working in-house at Sleep Number for five months
We provide a rundown of Managing IP’s news and analysis coverage from the week, and review what’s been happening elsewhere in IP
In a seminal ruling, the Beijing Internet Court said images generated by Stable Diffusion counted as original works
Boston-based John Lanza is hoping to work more with life sciences colleagues on the ‘exciting’ application of AI to drug discovery
The Delhi High Court has expressed its willingness to set global licensing terms in the Nokia-Oppo dispute, but it must deal with longstanding problems first
Some patent counsel are still encountering errors even though the USPTO has fully transitioned to the new system
A senior USPTO attorney spoke at a Nokia-sponsored event on the EU’s proposed SEP Regulation today, November 29
IP counsel are ‘flooded’ with queries from clients worried about deepfakes, but the law has so far come up short
Each week Managing IP speaks to a different IP practitioner about their life and career