INSIDER
CITMA NEWS & UPDATES
President’s welcome
I would like to start by wishing you a happy New Year. I hope you managed to enjoy some downtime over the festive period. Before looking forwards, I wanted to mention some key moments that helped bring 2024 to a close.
During our annual London Christmas Lunch celebrations, I was thrilled to present the first-ever Sheila Lesley Volunteer of the Year Award to Ese Akpogheneta. Ese was recognised for her involvement in mentoring, her strong commitment to supporting fellow members and her efforts to improve inclusivity in the workplace. A very worthy inaugural winner of the award.
It was also a pleasure to be involved in UCL’s anniversary event to mark 30 years of the UK Trade Marks Act 1994 with the crème de la crème of the profession. The discussions allowed me to play devil’s advocate with recent case law and consider how the UK trade mark law might develop over the next three decades.
Looking ahead, preparations are now well underway for our Spring Conference in March. Taking place across two days, with an evening event, I’m delighted that we’re returning to a more traditional format, with extended time for networking.
Finally, our annual Charity Quiz takes place in just a few weeks’ time. This is the perfect chance to catch up with colleagues, test your trivia knowledge and raise money for important causes. I hope to see you there!
Kelly Saliger, CITMA President
CITMA Benevolent Fund appoints new trustees
We have welcomed three new trustees to the board for our Benevolent Fund, a charity that supports our members and their families in times of financial hardship. In cases where alternative sources of support are unable to help further, the Fund ensures that short-term financial support is available in the form of either a grant or a loan.
We are excited to introduce Laurissa Abdull (CITMA Paralegal), Mark Gardiner (CITMA Paralegal) and Dan Head (Chartered Trade Mark Attorney) as your new trustees.
Ensuring opportunity
Reflecting on the support the Fund can provide, Laurissa said: “By supporting people who may experience financial difficulty, it ensures everyone has the opportunity to pursue their dreams in the profession.”
Mark was eager to contribute to the Fund’s growth, adding: “You only need to look at previous examples of the Fund’s support to understand how important it is.”
Having experienced difficult circumstances himself, Dan felt compelled to get involved: “Sometimes life events occur that are out of our control. Having financial support during tough periods can help to ease the stress associated with these difficult times.”
Find out more at citma.org.uk/trusteesbenevolent
Want to show your support?
If you would like to donate to the CITMA Benevolent Fund, we welcome all contributions, no matter how large or small. Individuals and firms contributing towards the Fund can benefit from Gift Aid, which means that, for every £1 donated, we can claim a further 25p. We also encourage you to consider leaving a legacy to the Fund when writing or changing your will. This could be a specific sum, a percentage of your estate or the balance of the estate after all other bequests have been met. For full details, go to citma.org.uk/donate
NEWS IN BRIEF
Skykick v Sky judgment
The Supreme Court recently delivered its eagerly awaited judgment in the dispute between SkyKick and Sky. A press summary stated: “The High Court was entitled to find that the SKY marks were applied for in bad faith to the extent that it did, and the Court of Appeal was wrong to reverse that finding.” See citma.org.uk/skykickskyjudgment
UK IPO annual crime survey published
An annual survey conducted by the UK IPO has revealed that IP crime related to vaping products has “increased significantly”, with 44% of authorities stating they investigated the sector this year. See citma.org.uk/ipcrimesurvey
30 years of the TMA
To mark the 30th anniversary of the UK Trade Marks Act 1994, we sponsored a thought-provoking session hosted by the UCL Institute of Brand and Innovation Law. Panellists discussed significant cases and considered how they have influenced the Act over the years. See citma.org.uk/trademark30
Spring Conference – book now
Connect with practitioners and celebrate the profession at our expanded Spring Conference. Details at citma.org.uk/events
Images: Shutterstock.com
MORE STORIES
Built with Shorthand