Welcome to CITMA
Founded in 1934, chartered in 2016, The Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA) is a professional membership organisation with the power to shape law and practice - nationally and internationally. Find out more
What is a trade mark?
Let our experts help you get to grips with trade marks and other intellectual property rights.
Find out how a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney will help you to navigate intellectual property law.
What is a trade mark?
Learn why trade marks are valuable business assets.
Getting a trade mark
How can you get a trade mark - we take you through the process step-by-step.
Find a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney
Use our directory to find intellectual property legal experts.
CITMA blog
Read fascinating and entertaining insight into intellectual property.
Get creative with your trade marks
How does a creative trade mark strategy help a brand to build a stronger relationship with the consumer?
How your trade mark adds value to your business
Owning a registered trade mark is like having another key member of your team – constantly working to bring you success.
Cultural (mis)appropriation in trade marks
What do Kim Kardashian West’s fashion line Kimono Solutionwear and the Washington Redskins have in common? They are among the increasing number of brands accused of cultural (mis)appropriation.
What has happened to your EU trade marks?
If you owned an EU trade mark at the end of 2020 you now also own an identical UK one, created automatically and for free – we explore what businesses need to know.
Upcoming events
Earn CPD and network with the IP profession at our events.
Case comments
Read analysis from recent trade mark cases.
For Athlon, it figures
Amelia Skelding describes a decision in which a figurative element was a deciding factor. T‑349/19, Decathlon v EUIPO, General Court, 15th October 2020.
Spot checked
Sophie Soeting considers why a familiar red mark was refused registration. O/587/20, TEFAL (Device Mark), UK IPO, 23rd November 2020.
Dousing an old flame
Duncan Balloch reports on how the boundaries became blurred for competing fire-protection businesses. [2021] EWHC 11 (IPEC), Cormeton Fire Protection Ltd v Cormeton Electronics Ltd & Another, IPEC, 18th January 2021.
99 problems
But comparison ain’t one for Ace of Spades, Jon Banford reports. 0T-620/19, Ace of Spades Holdings LLC v EUIPO, Gerhard Ernst Krupp & Elmar Borrmann, General Court, 9th December 2020.
Brexit
Read the latest updates on what the UK's withdrawal from the European Union means for intellectual property.
May 2021 - post-Brexit Q&A
Five months on from the end of the Brexit transition period we wanted to tie up some of the loose ends and provide as much clarity as possible on some of the technical points we have been raising with the UK IPO on your behalf.
UK IPO extends bulk change of address service
The UK IPO has announced that it is extending its bulk change of address service until 30th September 2021.
Refiling comparable word marks
We have received an update from the UK IPO about filing dates for refiled UK trade mark applications.
Update on filing dates and international designs
Nearly two months since the re-creation of EU rights and designations as comparable UK rights, we have continued to keep in touch with the UK IPO with the issues and queries you have raised about these.