
Intellectual property for retail
Intellectual property rights are key assets of many retail businesses. In order to maximise their value, it is vital to ensure that they are identified, protected and effectively managed. Cited by Chambers & Partners as “a worthy alternative to a big City law firm”, our IP team offers tailored, commercial advice on the whole range of IP issues, from technology transfers to complex patent litigation.
- Specialist IP team – one of the largest outside of London, with a significant number of our team having worked in house at, or been on secondment to, major retailers.
- Established international network – associates and close relationships with patent and trade mark attorneys, in house lawyers and marketing specialists.
- Protecting IP – helping you to protect your IP rights through registration, proper management and confidentiality.
- IP audits and strategy – helping you to understand IP, its relevance and value and, how to manage it effectively.
- IP exploitation arrangements – including IP licences, franchises, sponsorship and merchandising agreements and assignments.
- Dispute resolution – in the High Court, Patents County Court, UK and European Intellectual Property Offices, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and Nominet.
Key contacts

Declan Cushley
Partner

Mark Daniels
Partner

Shannon Fahy
Associate

Faye McConnell
Senior Associate

Giles Parsons
Partner

Nick Smee
Partner

Hayley Smith
Associate
You may be interested in...
Legal Update - Retail law roundup
Retail Law Roundup: March 2025
Press Release
Browne Jacobson advises The Range on second phase of Homebase acquisition
Legal Update
Navigating VAT in corporate real estate: Key considerations for landlords and tenants
Legal Update
Why digital marketers need to comply with cookie regulations to avoid their campaigns being disrupted
Legal Update
Ronan’s Law: Will bring in new laws to strengthen the rules for online retailers selling knives
Opinion
That’s Asda price: Tribunal considers that retail roles are of equal value to distribution centre jobs
Legal Update - Retail law roundup
Retail Law Roundup: February 2025
Legal Update
Real estate energy efficiency: Guide to lease and regulatory changes
Legal Update
Children’s personal data: Retailers beware of new regulatory changes
Legal Update - Retail law roundup
Retail Law Roundup: January 2025
Legal Update
Navigating the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023: Implications for retailers with vacant premises
Legal Update - DMCC Act
UK consumer law: What is changing and how might it affect retailers?
Legal Update
Shoplifting epidemic by organised criminal gangs: The impact for insurers
Legal Update
How the new junk food regulations will reshape Christmas advertising
Press Release
Browne Jacobson advises AI market research platform on $4.5m fundraising for international expansion
Press Release
Browne Jacobson advises retail giant The Range on its acquisition of Homebase
Opinion
Power for local authorities to conduct compulsory rental auctions of vacant high street properties to come into force next month
Legal Update
Roundtable report: Community engagement in high street regeneration
Press Release
Browne Jacobson to lead discussions on the future of real estate and infrastructure at this year’s UKREiiF 2024 event
Press Release
Browne Jacobson acquires business of real estate practitioner Paul Taylor Solicitors
Legal Update
ASA ruling on Calvin Klein FKA Twigs advertisement
Legal Update
How to negotiate better ‘green’ provisions in your leases
Opinion
The Metaverse's influence on real estate: Implications for commercial retail clients and law firms
Guide
How to manage retail sector supply contracts and avoid disputes
Legal Update
Pitfalls for retailers to avoid when offering access to ‘buy now, pay later’ products
Press Release
Browne Jacobson’s intellectual property lawyers ranked experts in World Trademark Review guide 2023
Opinion
Supreme court rules on retail tenant's service charge bill
Published Article - Consumer Duty
Consumer duty part 3 - 'The drill-down' into the 'cross-cutting' rules
Press Release
Browne Jacobson’s retail lawyers advise Wilko on its strategic £48m sale and leaseback of Nottinghamshire distribution centre to DHL
Legal Update
Fashion retailers: Is this the end for free returns?
Published Article
AI generated designs on retail products
Every AI will have its own terms of use. DALL·E 2’s Terms of Use dated 3 November 2022 specify that as between a user and Open AI, a user owns their prompts and uploads. Open AI also assigns to the user all rights in any images generated by DALL·E 2 for that user (subject to the user complying with those Terms of Use, and to a licence to use inputs and output to develop and improve the services).
Published Article - Consumer Duty
Consumer duty part 2 - 'The drill-down' into the 'cross-cutting' rules
Opinion
Don't look down
An engineering company in Tyne and Wear was fined £20,000 after a worker fractured his pelvis and suffered internal injuries after falling through a petrol station forecourt canopy, whilst he was replacing the guttering.
Published Article
Luxury brands and sustainability: The challenges and solutions
Legal Update
W (No.3) GP (Nominee A ) Ltd and another v J D Sports Fashion Plc (Nottingham County Court, 22 October 2021)
The County Court refuses the landlord’s request to include a turnover rent in a statutory lease renewal.
Legal Update
Macey v Pizza Express (Restaurants) Ltd [2021] EWHC 2847 (Ch)
A landlord did not demonstrate the requisite intention required to oppose a statutory lease renewal underground (g).
Legal Update
Stonecrest Marble Ltd v Shepherds Bush Housing Association Ltd [2021] EWHC 2621 (Ch)
Where a lease provides a comprehensive scheme of repair and insurance, the court will not imply terms to cover any gaps in that scheme.
Press Release
Wolverhampton based Slick Stitch secures major contract with high street retail giant
Legal Update
Capitol Park Leeds Plc and another v Global Radio Services Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 995
A tenant who handed back an empty shell of a building had complied with a condition of its break option to give vacant possession of the property.
Opinion
Handing back an empty shell of a building did not prevent a tenant from exercising a break clause
Break rights have proved a fertile source of litigation over the last few years. More often than not, tenants have found themselves on the wrong end of the decisions. However, a Court of Appeal decision yesterday has bucked that trend.