Our Services

Intellectual Property

We recognise the importance of intellectual property to our clients as a key strategic and valuable asset and ensure that our advices are tailored to the needs and strategic objectives of each client. Our team advises clients on all issues affecting their portfolios to include patents, trademarks, copyright (including software), database rights and design rights, as well as trade secrets, confidential information, and the associated protection, licensing, commercialisation and enforcement matters. We also provide advice in relation to brand management and protection, advertising law and content regulation. Our team has been at the forefront of several high value IP transactions in the Irish market as well as on high profile enforcement and litigation matters. We frequently work with our M&A and tax colleagues on managing significant IP mandates. In addition to acting on significant intellectual property disputes, we have also acted on other related high profile cases concerning image and privacy rights, defamation and content regulation and the management of platform liability in IP infringement cases. The team also works closely with our Media & Entertainment team on licensing and publishing matters, image and reputation management, sponsorship deals and licensing in the context of film and music productions.

Recent Experience:

• Acting for Johnson & Johnson in the defence of a patent revocation action filed by Teva;
• Advising a US-headquartered pharmaceutical group in respect of a potential patent dispute before the Irish Courts and associated interim reliefs;
• Acting for Meta Ireland Limited (formerly Facebook Ireland Limited) in respect of Irish High Court proceedings regarding fake advertisements. Acting for Ryanair in proceedings it has issued against flight comparison website Skyscanner for so-called “screenscraping”;
• Advising multinational social media company on the management of platform liability in the context of copyright infringement;
• Advising Kerry Group on the disposal of its meats division to Pilgrim’s Pride and associated IP agreements;
• Advising Glanbia plc on IP aspects of the disposal of its interest in Glanbia Ireland DAC;
• Advising Origin Enterprises plc on a long term collaboration with UCD and its development of digital tools for crop optimisation;
• Advising Openet Telecom Sales Limited on the IP aspects of its acquisition by Amdocs;
• Advising Accenture on intellectual property acquisitions and licensing;
• Advising Trinity College Dublin on the use, licensing and protection of College IP assets;
• Advising on design infringement disputes;
• Advising consumer product companies on the protection of trade secrets;
• Advising clients on intellectual property issues in the metaverse;
• Advising on defence of copyright and database rights infringement allegation in the context of a software development;
• Advising Irish tourism provider on its defence of claims of breach of copyright, infringement of trademarks and passing-off.

Trademark Prosecution Practice

Our trade mark practice forms a key part the Intellectual Property Group. We provide a trade mark search, clearance, registration and prosecution service and advice on filing strategies, brand management and advertising and marketing compliance. The team also has a network of agents in jurisdictions around the world to assist with the filing of trade marks in foreign jurisdictions, thereby offering a full support service to clients if required. We provide advice and represent clients in trade mark opposition proceedings either as a standalone service or as part of a wider litigation or dispute resolution strategy in the context of infringements. We maintain a database of filings and registrations for our clients, handling renewals and related matters to ensure that protection is maintained. We are available to discuss client needs generally in the area of brand protection such as customs enforcement, tax and strategic planning, licensing and dispute resolution.