Tidman Legal

26/08/2026

A Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) or Confidentiality Agreement can help protect your trade secrets and confidential information. However, it’s not quite as simple as pulling a generic NDA off the internet.

The random NDA you found will not necessarily be enforceable or helpful to you or your business in the long run.

To be enforceable, an NDA must address:

✔️ What types of information are to be shared.

✔️ Why the information is being shared.

✔️ What both parties can do with the info.

✔️ All other requirements for a valid contract.

Find out more here: tidmanlegal.com/services/intellectual-property-services/confidentiality-agreements

21/08/2026

Template terms won’t know your business.

They will not know how you sell, how you deliver, what your customers expect, when you need to be paid or where the real risk sits.

That is the problem with relying on generic T&Cs. They might look fine on the surface, but they can miss the details that actually matter when a customer cancels, payment is delayed, the scope changes or something goes wrong.

Your terms should reflect the way your business works in real life, not the way a template assumes it does.

Find out more: tidmanlegal.com/services/business-commercial-services/ecommerce-website-terms

16/08/2026

Protecting Innovation. Powering Business. ⚖️💡

Your intellectual property is one of your most valuable assets. From trade marks and patents to copyright and design protection, having the right IP strategy can make all the difference.

Watch our latest reel to learn how we help businesses protect, enforce and maximise the value of their IP.

📩 Get in touch with our IP team to discuss how we can protect your brands, ideas and innovations.

16/08/2026

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Expect sector updates, practical legal guidance, firm news and the commercial points worth keeping an eye on.

No noise, no filler, just useful updates from the team.

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Welcome to Tidman Legal

13/08/2026

Scaling your business? Get the structure right before you grow.

For businesses considering franchising, multi-site expansion or other repeatable growth models, having a strong concept is only the starting point.

The real question is whether the legal and commercial structure is built to scale with it.

Who owns the brand and intellectual property?

What are the respective responsibilities of the business and its franchisees or partners?

How should fees, royalties and other payments work?

What standards and controls need to be maintained across different locations?

And what happens when a franchisee, partner or site doesn’t perform as expected?

These questions are much easier and cheaper to address before growth accelerates.

A well-structured model can give you the clarity and protection you need to expand confidently, while reducing the risk of disputes and expensive restructuring later.

If you’re planning to franchise or scale across multiple sites, we can help you build the legal and commercial framework for growth not just the first deal.

31/07/2026

UK Site Blocking Orders: How The Odyssey Sets a Powerful Anti-Piracy Precedent

Online piracy continues to pose a significant threat to businesses across the creative industries, undermining the value of copyright works and causing substantial commercial losses. As infringing websites become increasingly sophisticated in how they distribute and promote unauthorised content, rights holders are increasingly turning to the courts for effective enforcement mechanisms.

One of the most powerful tools available in the UK is the site blocking order, which enables the High Court to require internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to websites that facilitate copyright infringement. A recent High Court case concerning The Odyssey has attracted significant attention for reinforcing the effectiveness of these orders in responding to evolving online piracy techniques.

Read more here: tidmanlegal.com/uk-site-blocking-order-odyssey-anti-piracy

Discover how a UK site blocking order for The Odyssey combats copyright infringement and online piracy.

26/06/2026

Spot the value you didn’t know you had.

If you’ve created something original, you’ve created something valuable.

Your business name, logo and ideas are what set you apart. They’re also your intellectual property.

Discover how to protect what you’ve built with our Intellectual Property Audits: www.tidmanlegal.com/services/intellectual-property-services/ip-audits

Intellectual Property Audits

09/06/2026

🍺 When does a lookalike beer brand cross the line into trade mark infringement?

In the latest chapter of the long-running battle over the BUDWEISER name, Budweiser Budvar has challenged Aldi’s use of the mark “BUVAL”, raising important questions about brand protection, consumer perception, and the limits of trade mark rights.

Our latest blog examines:

✔️ The background to the dispute
✔️ The key trade mark issues at stake
✔️ How courts assess similarity and likelihood of confusion
✔️ What the case means for brand owners and retailers

The dispute serves as a timely reminder that even subtle branding choices can attract scrutiny where established trade mark rights are involved.

Read our full analysis here: tidmanlegal.com/budweiser-budvar-v-aldi-buval-trade-mark-dispute

Budweiser Budvar v Aldi Buval Trade Mark Dispute: EU Blocks Aldi Beer Brand. Learn What The Decision Means For Brand Owners.

28/05/2026

🍔 Can descriptive terms function as trade marks?

Our latest blog explores the growing legal and commercial debate around the term “Smashburger” and whether it is too descriptive to qualify for trade mark protection.

The blog examines:

✔️ the distinction between descriptive and distinctive marks
✔️ why descriptiveness matters in trade mark registration and enforcement
✔️ how courts and registries assess consumer perception
✔️ what brand owners can learn when choosing names in competitive markets

For businesses in food, hospitality, and consumer brands, the case is a useful reminder that strong branding starts with selecting marks capable of protection from the outset.

Read our latest blog: tidmanlegal.com/smashburger-descriptive-trade-mark

Is "Smashburger" Too Descriptive for Trade Mark Protection? The restaurant industry thrives on memorable branding, but not every catchy business name qualifies for strong trade mark protection. The growing debate around the term "Smashburger" highlights a key issue in intellectual property law: when...

22/05/2026

⚽ Trade marks, football, and brand identity: the EUIPO has issued an interesting decision in a dispute involving “Westham”.

In a recent ruling, the EU rejected an opposition against the mark “Westham”, highlighting important considerations around similarity, reputation, and likelihood of confusion in trade mark law.

Our latest blog breaks down the decision and what it means for brand owners seeking protection across the EU.

Read more here: tidmanlegal.com/west-ham-trade-mark-dispute

West Ham Trade Mark Dispute: EU Rejects "Westham" Opposition A recent West Ham trade mark dispute has highlighted the challenges even major football clubs face when enforcing intellectual property rights across Europe. An EU panel has rejected an opposition brought by West Ham United F.C. against a....