Stobbs

17/07/2026

Recent office fun 🌟

03/07/2026

Happy 4th Birthday to our London Office! 🎂🎈

14/05/2026

In 2018, the Estate of the Late Sonia Brownell Orwell filed an EU trade mark application for the sign GEORGE ORWELL which was rejected by the European Union Intellectual Property Office - EUIPO as the sign would be understood by the consumers to provide information about their content, making the mark descriptive and non-distinctive. This decision was appealed by the applicant.

Whilst an application for a trade mark covering a name is capable of designating origin and should not be assessed in any different way than other word marks, once a name reaches a certain level of fame, it will perceived by the public as merely describing the content of certain goods and services and can no longer function as a trade mark.

Evidence of the well-known status of a mark will only be beneficial for an applicant if it can show that they were able to educate the consumer that goods and services bearing the mark come from a single source. Otherwise, the evidence will simply enforce the descriptiveness and non-distinctiveness objection. Egle Adomaityte explains more...

https://www.iamstobbs.com/insights/fame-comes-with-a-price-of-being-descriptive-george-orwell-trade-mark-dispute

May 14 2026 • min read Fame comes with a price (of being descriptive) – GEORGE ORWELL trade mark dispute Egle Adomaityte IA Manager Arts & Entertainment Celebrity Trade Marks Designs + Copyright In 2018, the Estate of the Late Sonia Brownell Orwell filed an EU trade mark application for the sign...

05/05/2026

Build it and they will come!

A great evening at Stobbs’ Cocktail Reception at INTA. Thanks to everyone who stopped by.

This is a great opportunity to namecheck Greg Stobbs for his work on our branding, from the website imagery and caricatures to the office overlay, and to Biggy’s food for doing what they always do so well. They provide our lunches and are an important part of our Cambridge office community, and very much appreciated.

05/05/2026

At Stobbs, our global network of agents is a huge advantage for us. Knowing we have experts in every jurisdiction means we can be confident about offering the best advice to brand owners worldwide.

INTA was a great opportunity for us to welcome our agents from Africa and the Caribbean to our office on Monday - for some coffee, cake and chat.

23/04/2026

A recent trade mark claim involving easyGroup and Jaybank Leisure Limited had an unusual outcome. easyGroup succeeded on infringement in principle, but still lost the case.

For practitioners, the lesson is simple: in trade mark litigation, evidence strategy is not a side issue. It can decide the case.

Olivia Ann Bibbo takes a closer look for Wolters Kluwer: IP Law and explains why the decision is worth reading...

https://legalblogs.wolterskluwer.com/trademark-blog/not-so-easy-easygroup-wins-on-confusion-but-loses-on-non-use/

In easyGroup Limited v Jaybank Leisure Limited [2025] EWHC 3077 (IPEC), HHJ Hacon dealt with a trade mark claim with an unusual outcome. easyGroup succeeded on infringement in principle, but still lost the case. That is what makes the decision worth reading. Background and the issues

23/04/2026

In 2012, ICANN opened what many considered a once‑in‑a‑lifetime transfer window for organisations to secure their own exclusive top‑level dotBrand top-level domains.

In just a few months, more than 1,900 applications were submitted and over 1,200 new domain extensions were added. Major sporting organisations, including the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), and the AFL - Australian Football League were among the early adopters.

Now, in 2026, ICANN is preparing to open a second rare window of opportunity. This new 15‑week application period - running from 30 April to 12 August 2026 - offers organisations another shot at securing a dotBrand domain. For LawInSport, John Weston and Stuart Fuller set out what in-house teams need to know before the 2026 application window closes...

https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/dotbrand-kicks-off-the-window-opens-to-a-new-era-for-sports-identity-online

In 2012, ICANN opened what many considered a once‑in‑a‑lifetime transfer window for organisations to secure their own exclusive top‑level dotBrand top-level domains. In just a few months, more than 1,900 applications were submitted and over 1,200 new domain extensions were added.[1] Major sp...

27/03/2026

Women in IP’s connected Bubbles event 🥂 A nationwide toast to collaborations, referrals and the people who keep the profession moving 🫧