NIPC Law

Author Dfrg.msc   Public Domain Source Wikimedia Commons   Jane Lambert Patents are intended to promote innovation but occasionally they work against the public interest.  For instance, the term of a pharmaceutical patent that is about to expire may effectively be prolonged by a patent for a new dosing regime or a second medical use.  Sometimes the patents for such inventions may be revoked  or a  declaration of non-infringement  may be granted  A company that wants to launch a competing product will often bring revocation or non-infringement proceedings to clear the way for the launch. However, s.69 (2) of the Patents Act 1977 makes clear that such proceedings can be brought only after a patent has been granted.   There is a risk in launching a new product while a patent application is being considered because  s.69 (1).  allows a claim for damages to be backdated to the publication of the application.   That can b...

Jane Lambert Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (HH Judge Hacon)  The Military Mutual Ltd v Police Mutual Assurance Society Ltd and other s [2018] EWHC 1575 (IPEC) (22 June 2018) The claimant arranges insurance and mortgages for past and present members of the armed forces.  On the "About Us" page of its website, it describers itself as "a Mutual set up to provide fair, financial services such as Home, Landlord, Military Kit and Business cover to those who are serving, veterans, families and supporters of our armed forces." Note the use of the big letter "M" in mutual,  That is a big part of the company's ethos.  It says that its "manifesto is very simple: always do the right thing for our Members."  The company has no shareholders or employees and is led in the main by retired senior officers who describe themselves as "customers and Members".  Anybody who acquires a policy or mortgage through the claimant compa...