Intellectual property crime continues to present a fundamental threat to rights holders in many sectors. Alongside traditional hot spots for fakes, the challenge now resides in dealing with the rise in counterfeits and pirated content on rogue websites and sold via social media and online marketplaces.
Our intellectual property lawyers have vast experience in devising global anti-counterfeiting and piracy programmes, alongside international action against parallel imports and grey market goods, in a range of sectors including fashion and luxury goods, automotive, technology and media, pharmaceuticals and FMCG.
In particular, we have created a "pioneering anti-counterfeiting programme" (Financial Times), Mishcon Tulip ® (Turning Losses into Profits), the first ever product devised by a law firm to combat the multi-million dollar industry of international counterfeiting and other IP theft. We work closely alongside our colleagues in Fraud & Asset Recovery, and in White Collar Crime, to ensure that all potential tools are available to the brand owner.
Key Services
- Working closely with clients, investigators, UK Border Force, Trading Standards and Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) to deal with counterfeit, pirated, parallel and grey goods
- Implementing notification procedures with UK Border Force and Trading Standards
- Search, seizure and destruction of counterfeit and pirated goods using customs procedures
- Dealing with online counterfeits including managing notice and takedown procedures, advising on website blocking orders, domain name disputes and co-ordination with payment providers
- Obtaining a range of civil remedies against counterfeiters including search and seizure, and freezing orders, alongside financial compensation and injunctions
- Obtaining a range of criminal remedies through private prosecutions, including financial compensation
- Enforcing IP rights against unlawful parallel imports and grey market goods